Attempt at predicting paraphrenic outcome in young, first admitted schizophrenic patients

A sample of 110 consecutive first admission young schizophrenic patients treated between 1964 and 1967 was rediagnosed in 1981. Among 92 survivors, 27 could be labelled as paraphrenics. From information available at inception 97 variables were coded covering such areas as personality, previous disturbances, age and type of onset, and symptoms around admission. Sixty-three out of 97 variables were hypothesized to differentiate, at admission, future paraphrenics from the rest of the sample. Paraphrenics were found to have had less contact disturbance, better self-esteem, less neurotic symptoms in adolescence and childhood, and less complaints of unhappiness when growing up. They had more regressive and paranoid symptoms at admission, were older at onset of the disease, which was more acute, more often connected with precipitating events, and confusion. Certain non-regressive symptoms such as brooding, anhedonia and concentration difficulties were less common. A discriminant analysis yielded a proportion of correct predictions = 0.64 (p less than 0.05). The results are in accordance with the theory of more favourable energetic and organizational capacity in paranoid schizophrenics as compared with non-paranoids.     

A note on the synapses between vesicle containing profiles in the pontine nuclei of the cat

In the cat synapses between vesicle containing profiles were observed in ventral and dorsolateral pontine nuclei. The presynaptic elements consisted of two types of axon terminals: axon terminals characterized by a population of small (38-40 nm) round synaptic vesicles (SSV) and axon terminals containing pleomorphic synaptic vesicles (PSV). The postsynaptic pale elements (PP) had pleomorphic vesicles and some features attributed to dendrites. In the dorsolateral pontine nucleus most of PP profiles took part in serial synapses, usually as an intermediate component, they were rarely observed in triads. On the basis of their electron microscopical appearance and synaptic relations they might be considered to represent a dendritic part of putative interneurons.     

A longitudinal study of disease incidence among Antarctic winter-over personnel

A longitudinal perspective was employed to test the hypothesis that there is an increased risk of hospitalization among Antarctic winter-over personnel during the first year subsequent to this duty. Subjects were 327 enlisted Navy men who wintered-over between 1963 and 1974 and a control group of 2,396 enlisted men who volunteered and were accepted for winter-over duty but who did not winter-over. A 15-year period from 1965 to 1979 was established for follow-up. Follow-up of subjects subsequent to screening for Operation Deep Freeze was conducted in 6-month intervals for the first 4 years. Results indicated that the total rates of first hospitalization during the 6 months prior to Antarctic duty and the first 6 months in Antarctica among winter-over personnel were significantly lower than the rates for the control group. No significant difference in the rates of the two groups was observed for the 12 months subsequent to winter-over duty.     

Effectiveness of dental health educational programs in schools

The largest and most important group that may be reached by health education is found in the school system. Children not only are fast learners and anxious to acquire new skills but also are at risk for the development of dental health problems. Therefore, regardless of the equivocal nature of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of school dental health educational programs, it is important that they continue to be developed. The programs created should have objectives, pretesting, participatory and cognitive experiences, periodic review of dental health program by an advisory committee, a liaison between school personnel and health professionals, and realistic models to assess the effects of the program on health. Because dental disease preventive programs and regimens such as water fluoridation, topical fluorides, dental sealants, and oral hygiene regimens are available that have the potential to eliminate dental disease, effort should be made to increase the awareness of the children who can benefit from them.     

Preventive dental prosthesis for the patient with bulimia

Bulimia is a distinct diagnostic eating disorder with its most noted manifestation being the rapid ingestion of large quantities of food followed by its elimination through the mouth. Because of the dental implications of highly acidic stomach contents chronically being regurgitated, the dentist is in a unique position to help identify the patient with bulimia. Dental erosion is not only the most easily noted but also the most destructive of the many oral problems caused by bulimia. This report of case describes a preventive dental prosthesis that can be used by the patient with bulimia to protect those teeth that are most affected by dental erosion. The construction of the prosthesis is easily completed with materials in the dental office and provides a great service to the patient with bulimia.     

Effects of tolazamide and exogenous insulin on pattern of postprandial carbohydrate metabolism in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Results of randomized crossover trial

To determine whether therapy with exogenous insulin or sulfonylureas results in a postprandial pattern of carbohydrate metabolism in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) that resembles that in nondiabetic individuals, we employed a dual-isotope technique combined with forearm catheterization to examine meal disposition in NIDDM patients, before and after 3 mo of therapy with tolazamide and after 3 mo of therapy with exogenous insulin, with a randomized crossover design. Results were compared with those observed in nondiabetic subjects. Although both forms of therapy improved chronic glycemic control (glycosylated hemoglobin concentration went from 9.6 +/- 0.7 to 7.6 +/- 0.5 and 7.1 +/- 0.2%, respectively, P less than .01), exogenous insulin resulted in a lower postprandial glycemic response than tolazamide (P less than .001). Both agents comparably increased (P less than .01) fasting and integrated postprandial insulin concentrations. However, the initial rate of postprandial increase was greater with exogenous insulin (P less than .05). Tolazamide (P less than .05) but not exogenous insulin increased postprandial C-peptide concentrations. However, tolazamide did not improve the deficient early insulin release. Both agents (P less than .05) lowered postabsorptive hepatic glucose release (from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 2.3 +/- 0.2 mg . kg-1 . min-1), but not to normal rates (1.8 +/- 0.1 mg . kg-1 . min-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Full-length ureteric splintage in the management of bilharzial ureteric strictures

Our experience with full-length ureteric splintage is reviewed with a note on the technique and its outcome. It is safe, effective and simple, easy to teach and easy to learn. It is recommended as the operation of choice in bilharzial ureteropathy.