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Although youth involvement in health promotion efforts is not a new concept, projects that actively involve youths in planning research, collecting data, and making research design decisions are rare. This article describes the evaluation process and outcomes for a youth-directed data collection initiative. Eleven youth researchers conducted 112 personal in-depth interviews and 22 focus groups involving 206 youths in 5th through 12th grade. Youth researchers felt confident they could conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews and staff ratings of youths' effectiveness in moderating focus groups indicated they were successful in carrying out the qualitative research.

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Despite a gradual overall decrease in alcohol consumption in the United States, alcohol remains the most widely used and abused drug in society. This study assessed lifetime and recent alcohol use in a cohort of fifth graders, and examined attitudes and beliefs held by these youth concerning alcohol. An instrument addressing alcohol use, other substance use, and other health-related problem behaviors was completed by 813 fifth graders in a west central Florida school district. Among respondents, 48.9% had "ever tried" alcohol, and 17.9% had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days (active drinkers). Significant differences in alcohol-related attitudes and beliefs were found according to current drinking status, gender, and race/ethnicity. Possible reasons for these differential findings are presented, and implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

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Since increased lens sorbitol and osmotic swelling are central causative features of cataract in diabetic rats, the effects of insulin treatment on lens sorbitol, water, sodium, and potassium were studied. The sorbitol concentration in early stage diabetic lenses was greater than in normal ones by 83 mmol/kg water, and the lens water was greater by 1.3%. Sodium was greater by 9 mmol/kg water; potassium was less by the same amount so that the sum of sodium and potassium was not different. In insulin-treated diabetic lenses, the sorbitol was less than in untreated diabetic lenses by 39 mmol/kg water, and the lens water was not different. Insulin restored the potassium, but not the sodium, to normal concentration so that the sum of sodium and potassium was greater by 16 mmol/kg water. The differences in lens water were less than would be expected on the basis of osmosis due to differences in sorbitol and suggested that the lenses were able to maintain their water content within a narrow range by losing or gaining solutes to offset the differences in sorbitol.

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A method for the determination of arsenic in whole human blood is presented. To decrease the matrix effects from this complex sample, the blood was prediluted with a matrix modifier solution. The modifier solution contained a surfactant, Triton X-100, which homogenized the sample and allowed accurate pipetting by an autosampler. The modifier also contained nickel nitrate which stabilized the arsenic and allowed ash temperatures of 1400 degrees C without loss of the arsenic. The method exhibited a sensitivity of 5 micrograms/L (concentration/1% absorption) which was sufficient for the forensic evaluation of elevated arsenic levels in the blood.

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Insulin concentrations were measured in the aqueous humors of insulin-treated and untreated diabetic rabbits. The aqueous humor insulin concentration of diabetic rabbits after feeding was less than that of normal control animals. When diabetic rabbits were treated with insulin, the aqueous humor insulin concentration rose to concentrations much greater than in normal ones. The aqueous: plasma concentration ratios of both insulin and total protein for diabetic animals were greater than those for normal ones and suggest that the permeability of the blood-aqueous barrier was greater in the diabetic rabbits. Since insulin is known to be capable of influencing the metabolism of the lens, it is conceivable that abnormal insulin concentrations in aqueous humor may influence the development of cataract in diabetes.

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Although the lens has been shown to have the capacity to respond to insulin in vitro, little is known concerning the biochemical relationships of insulin to the lens in vivo. Therefore we have measured insulin in the aqueous humor of rabbits by a sensitive radioimmunoassay after paracentesis and feeding. The insulin concentration in aqueous humor was 3% of that in plasma. One hour after paracentesis the aqueous humor insulin concentration was increased sixfold, apparently due to breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier, but 1 week after paracentesis it had returned to its original level, apparently because of restoration of the blood-aqueous barrier within that time. After feeding, the aqueous humor insulin concentration was increased by 30% compared to a 175% increase in plasma. Factors influencing the aqueous humor insulin concentration and the possibility of insulin influence on lens metabolism are discussed.

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