Alcohol sales to pseudo-intoxicated bar patrons. (9/662)

OBJECTIVES: Many establishments serve alcoholic beverages to obviously intoxicated patrons despite laws against such sales. To guide the development of interventions to reduce these illegal alcohol sales, this study used actors feigning intoxication to determine whether servers recognized obvious signs of intoxication and to assess the tactics servers used when dealing with intoxicated patrons. METHODS: Male actors ages 30 to 50 acted out signs of obvious intoxication as they attempted to purchase alcoholic beverages. If served during the first attempt, these pseudo-intoxicated buyers made second purchase attempts during the same visit. Observers accompanied the actors; after each visit, actors and observers recorded the servers' behavior and comments. RESULTS: Alcoholic beverages were served to actors portraying intoxicated patrons at 68% of first purchase attempts and 53% of second purchase attempts (62% of a total of 106 purchase attempts). The most common refusal technique was a direct refusal (68% of refusals), made with either no excuse or with reference to the actors' apparent intoxication level. Servers' second most commonly used refusal technique was offering alcohol-free beverages, such as coffee or water (18% of refusals). CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to determine why servers who recognize intoxication serve alcoholic beverages and what training, outlet policies, and external pressures are needed to reduce illegal alcohol sales to obviously intoxicated patrons.  (+info)

Preanalytical variables affecting the quantification of fatty acid ethyl esters in plasma and serum samples. (10/662)

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) are cytotoxic nonoxidative ethanol metabolites produced by esterification of fatty acids and ethanol. FAEEs are detectable in blood up to 24 h after ethanol consumption. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of gender, serum or plasma triglyceride concentration, time and temperature of specimen storage, type of alcoholic beverage ingested, and the rate of ethanol consumption on FAEE concentrations in plasma or serum. METHODS: For some studies, subject were recruited volunteers; in others, residual blood samples after ethanol quantification were used. FAEEs were isolated by solid-phase extraction and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: For weight-adjusted amounts of ethanol intake, FAEE concentrations were twofold greater for men than women (P /=24 h. The type of alcoholic beverage and rate of consumption did not affect FAEE concentrations. CONCLUSION: These studies advance plasma and serum FAEE measurements closer to implementation as a clinical test for ethanol intake.  (+info)

Shaken, not stirred: bioanalytical study of the antioxidant activities of martinis. (11/662)

BACKGROUND: Moderate consumption of alcoholic drinks seems to reduce the risks of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts, perhaps through antioxidant actions of their alcohol, flavonoid, or polyphenol contents. "Shaken, not stirred" routinely identifies the way the famous secret agent James Bond requires his martinis. OBJECTIVES: As Mr Bond is not afflicted by cataracts or cardiovascular disease, an investigation was conducted to determine whether the mode of preparing martinis has an influence on their antioxidant capacity. DESIGN: Stirred and shaken martinis were assayed for their ability to quench luminescence by a luminescent procedure in which hydrogen peroxide reacts with luminol bound to albumin. Student's t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Shaken martinis were more effective in deactivating hydrogen peroxide than the stirred variety, and both were more effective than gin or vermouth alone (0.072% of peroxide control for shaken martini, 0.157% for stirred v 58.3% for gin and 1.90% for vermouth). The reason for this is not clear, but it may well not involve the facile oxidation of reactive martini components: control martinis through which either oxygen or nitrogen was bubbled did not differ in their ability to deactivate hydrogen peroxide (0.061% v 0. 057%) and did not differ from the shaken martini. Moreover, preliminary experiments indicate that martinis are less well endowed with polyphenols than Sauvignon white wine or Scotch whisky (0.056 mmol/l (catechin equivalents) shaken, 0.060 mmol/l stirred v 0.592 mmol/l wine, 0.575 mmol/l whisky). CONCLUSIONS: 007's profound state of health may be due, at least in part, to compliant bartenders.  (+info)

Effects of gestational alcohol exposure on the fatty acid composition of umbilical cord serum in humans. (12/662)

This study examined the effects of maternal periconceptional alcohol intake on polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations in human neonates. The area percentage of each fatty acid in cord blood serum from 12 infants born to control women (who consumed <2 mL absolute ethanol/d) was compared with that of 9 infants born to women whose periconceptional alcohol intake averaged > or = 30mL absolute ethanol/d. Periconceptional alcohol use was associated with a 30% increase in the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) in cord blood (3.0% of total lipid in control infants compared with 3.9% in alcohol-exposed infants; P < 0.01). The rise in the proportion of 22:6n-3 was responsible for increases in the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids and the ratio of long-chain n-3 to n-6 fatty acids (P < 0.055). Examination of the lipid-class fatty acid profile indicated that serum lipid alterations were localized to the cholesterol esters; 22:6n-3 in the cholesterol esters of alcohol-exposed infants increased 54% (P < 0.011) and arachidonic acid increased 55% (P < 0. 005). The relative fatty acyl composition of maternal serum showed a significant increase in 18:0 fatty acids in the alcohol-exposed group (25%, P < 0.005) but there were no changes in the other fatty acids. The increase in the proportion of 22:6n-3 was unexpected but is consistent with the hypothesis that this essential lipid may be conserved selectively. These results imply that the lifelong neurobehavioral and sensory dysfunction in fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders may be due in part to PUFA dysregulation.  (+info)

Beer, wine, spirits and subjective health. (13/662)

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between intake of different types of alcoholic beverages and self reported subjective health. DESIGN: Cross sectional health survey with assessment of intake of beer, wine and spirits (at last non-weekend day), smoking habits, social networks, physical activity, body mass index, educational level, presence of chronic disease, and self reported health. SETTING: WHO Copenhagen Healthy City Survey, Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 4113 men and 7926 women aged 18 to 100 years. MAIN RESULTS: Of the 12,039 subjects, 8680 reported their health as optimal, and 3359 reported a suboptimal health. After controlling for the covariates, the relation between total alcohol intake and the proportion reporting suboptimal health was J shaped. Heavy drinkers of any of the three types of alcoholic beverages had a higher prevalence of suboptimal health than non-drinkers. However, only light (1-2 glasses of wine yesterday) and moderate (3-5) wine drinkers had significantly lower odds ratios for suboptimal health--0.72 (95% confidence limits; 0.56 to 0.92) and 0.65 (0.49 to 0.87), respectively--when compared with non-wine drinkers. Moderate beer or spirits drinkers did not differ significantly from non-drinkers of these beverages with regard to prevalence of suboptimal health. Consistently, beer preference drinkers had an odds ratio of 1.50 (1.25 to 1.80) for suboptimal health compared with wine preference drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: A light to moderate wine intake is related to good self perceived health, whereas this is not the case for beer and spirits. The causal relations creating this association are unknown and should be considered when interpreting the relation between different types of alcoholic beverages and subsequent morbidity and mortality.  (+info)

Evolution and variation of the yeast (Saccharomyces) genome. (14/662)

In this review we describe the role of the yeast Saccharomyces in the development of human societies including the use of this organism in the making of wine, bread, beer, and distilled beverages. We also discuss the tremendous diversity of yeast found in natural (i.e., noninoculated) wine fermentations and the scientific uses of yeast over the past 60 years. In conclusion, we present ideas on the model of "genome renewal" and the use of this model to explain the mode by which yeast has evolved and how diversity can be generated.  (+info)

The effect of food simulants on enamel-composite bond strength. (15/662)

The effect of food simulants upon the enamel-composite bond strength of two orthodontic adhesive composites was studied. Thirty extracted premolars were used in each experimental group. Orthodontic brackets were bonded with either Transbond (3M Unitek) or Right-On (TP orthodontics) and were then exposed to either distilled water (control), 8 per cent ethanol (aqueous food), 50 per cent ethanol (alcoholic food), buffered lactic acid pH4 (acidic food), or corn oil (fatty food) for 12 weeks. Bond strength and Adhesive Remnant Index was recorded. It was found that 50 per cent ethanol had a significant effect upon the bond strength of both Transbond and Right-On. Right-On was affected to a greater extent. The clinical significance of this finding is that alcoholic mouth rinses, and alcohol-containing foods and drinks may be a causative factor in bond failure. However, the use of an alcoholic mouthrinse late in treatment may aid bracket removal. This potential use requires more research. Refereed Scientific Paper  (+info)

Fractured neck of femur in black patients: a prospective study. (16/662)

We explored the role of iron overload, deficiency of vitamin C and alcohol abuse in the aetiology of cervical and intertrochanteric fractures of the neck of the femur as a result of minor trauma. We studied prospectively 72 patients (45 men, 27 women). Levels of serum iron markers, vitamin C and alcohol markers were measured. Consumption of alcohol was estimated using questionnaires. The findings were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched control group. The mean age of the men was 59.5 years and of the women 66.9 years, with a male predominance. In the men, iron overload, as shown by high levels of serum ferritin (p < 0.001) and deficiency of vitamin C (p < 0.03), as well as abuse of both Western and the traditional type of alcohol, appear to be important aetiological factors. In women, alcohol abuse was also common, but iron markers and levels of vitamin C did not differ significantly from the control group.  (+info)