Epidemiology of borderline personality disorder

The limited epidemiological data available on borderline personality disorder suggest that the prevalence of the disorder is between .2 and 1.8 percent in the general community, 15 percent among psychiatric inpatients, and 50 percent among psychiatric inpatients with a diagnosis of personality disorder. No data on the incidence--the rate of new cases--of the disorder have been reported, and inferences about incidence based on prevalence rates are complicated by differences in the formal designation of personality disorders before and after DSM-III was issued. Current findings suggest that about 76 percent of borderline patients are female. Epidemiological study of borderline personality disorder has been hindered by the lack of a brief semistructured interview that can be used with large population samples and that does not require substantial clinical expertise. The authors discuss alternative research methods, including use of lay interviewers, recoding of existing data, telephone interviews, and self-report inventories.     

Smooth surface glass ionomer restoration for primary teeth

Glass ionomer restorative cement offers the clinician an alternative to bonded composite resin for restoration of certain lesions in primary teeth. This article details a step-by-step procedure for restoration of a smooth surface carious lesion in a primary incisor using an encapsulated glass ionomer restorative material and reviews advantages and limitations of the cement. A light-hardened glass ionomer liner/base that has proven useful as an enamel and dentin restorative is also described.     

Rapid control of purity for the cytoplasm of male-sterile seed stocks by means of a dot hybridization assay

To produce hybrids, one member of the parental line is genetically made male-sterile. This male-sterile trait is encoded by mitochondria so that it is maternally inherited. Consequently, the progeny of a male-sterile plant is fully sterile. Nevertheless, during the handling of cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stocks, some mixture with seeds of the maintainer lines can occur. Up to the present time, the only way to check the homogeneity of the cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stock was to grow the plants until flowering time. We have developed a method which can be used immediately after the harvest, allowing us to check samples from both sunflower and sugar beet. We used the mitochondrial plasmid, present only in the maintainer lines, as a probe for the total nucleic acids prepared from the cytoplasmic male-sterile seed stocks which might be contaminated. The signals compared to those of samples artificially contaminated allow us to measure as few as one male-fertile seed in 1000 seeds in a rapid and accurate manner.     

The hygienic characteristics of the working conditions in the modern electroplating industry]

The contributors propose a set of newly performed hygienic studies in the widely developed technologies of electrotype, expound a complex of the hazardous occupational factors commonly encountered in modern galvanoplastics, contamination of the equipment, overalls and the skin with the metallic compounds contained in the galvanic electrolytes. Shops with non-isolated electrotype lines were characterized by the most unfavourable labour conditions.     

Idiopathic flexible flatfoot in the adolescent

In summary, factors to consider in treatment are (1) the patient's age; (2) the flexibility of the condition; (3) the severity of deformity; (4) the presence of equinus; (5) abnormal shoe wear; and (6) the symptoms. When a child presents with severe flexible flatfoot one should rule out an underlying neuromuscular disorder and perform a complete biomechanical evaluation to ascertain any rotational or angular conditions of the legs that might influence the treatment. If a child is in group 1 (ages 4 to 7), a Helfet heel seat with a medial plantar wedge is usually adequate treatment. In the group II (ages 8 to 12) adolescent with flexible flatfoot, more control of the calcaneal eversion is needed. This is obtained by using a device constructed from a plaster mold taken while the foot is in neutral position. This UCBL type of device must usually extend to the metatarsal heads and be elevated on the medial and lateral sides. The group III (ages 13 to 17) adolescent usually has the additional problem of a forefoot varus, which must be controlled using a forefoot post. It is also not unusual to have to add additional wedging inside the heel of the shoe to invert the heel.     

Pathologic findings after recession and resection of extraocular muscles in rabbits

A study on the pathologic findings after recession and resection of extraocular muscles in rabbits was performed. Fibrosis of the extraocular muscles increased with time, which showed no difference between the recessed and resected muscles. Inflammation and foreign body reaction decreased with time, which showed no difference between the recessed and resected muscles. Adhesions of extraocular muscles to the sclera were observed from one month after the operation. The resected muscles showed milder adhesion to the sclera than the recessed ones. The operated extraocular muscles showed atrophies at one month, which showed no difference between the recessed and resected muscles. According to our results, when reoperation is needed, fibrosis of the extraocular muscles after recession and resection should be considered when making a decision on the amount of muscle to be recessed and resected.     

Effect of a natural flavonoid on gastric mucosal barrier

The effects of 3,5,7-trihydroxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-benzopyrylium chloride (IdB 1027) on the rat gastric mucosa were evaluated. IdB 1027 administered intragastrically at doses ranging from 100 to 400 mg/kg inhibited the fall in transmucosal potential difference and the increase in H+ back-diffusion induced by acetylsalicylic acid. Moreover, IdB 1027 at doses of 50 and 200 mg/kg by intragastric route increased the gastric bicarbonate secretion. These results suggest that the gastroprotective activity of IdB 1027 is mediated by an increase in the efficiency of gastric mucosal barrier.     

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in Ashanti region, Ghana

We describe a series of 96 cases of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection (Buruli ulcer) from a new endemic focus in the Afram valley, north of Agogo, in Ghana. 63 cases were children under 13 years old. Active treatment by excision and skin grafting necessitates long stays in hospital and repeated procedures. Scarring and contracture are frequent. Eyes and other vital organs may be destroyed. In its endemic foci Buruli ulcer is a serious health burden on rural populations. Research is urgently needed, especially in prevention and non-surgical management.