Family and client perspectives on alternative residential settings for persons with severe mental illness

OBJECTIVE: The housing preferences of persons with severe mental illness living in three types of community residences were examined, as were their perceptions of problems in these settings and the relationships between clients' and family members' housing preferences and perceptions of problems. METHODS: A closed-ended questionnaire was developed to gather demographic and diagnostic data and information about housing preferences and seven categories of service-related problems. It was completed by clients who lived in group settings with 24-hour on-site staff, in supported housing with on-site visits by staff, and in homes or apartments with no on-site professional services. Questionnaires were returned by 129 family members and 180 clients. RESULTS: Clients who lived in group settings were significantly more likely to be older, less educated, unemployed, and diagnosed as having schizophrenia than clients in other settings. Although a larger proportion of family members than clients preferred housing with more support, for both families and clients a statistically significant association was found between current and preferred residence. A strong and significant correlation was found between clients' and family members' perceptions of problems, which included stress on the family and clients' social isolation and relapse to illness. For clients who lived independently, a significantly greater proportion of both clients and families reported that social isolation was a problem. CONCLUSIONS: Although supported housing works well for some individuals, a continued need exists for an array of housing with varying levels of structure. The results suggest that clients and families identify the same problems as priorities.     

Effect of patient age on use of the knee joint score

AIM OF THE STUDY: Clinical studies are done with the help of scores though different factors of influence lower comparability. The underlying study examines the influence of patient age as this always presents a certain span. METHOD: 96 degree I damaged knee joints were examined by 3 examiners using the Larson-, Lysholm-, Marshall-, HSS- and OAK-score. Furthermore ratings by a VAS and the Tegner activity score were done. With the Friedman test, the rank correlation coefficient by Spearman and the contingency chart by Bowker it was tested if the examiners and the scores rate equally. To find out the influence of the age three age groups were made up. RESULTS: The examiners judged significantly different excluding the Marshall and the OAK scores. In between two examiners no significant difference could be found between the young and the middle-aged patient group. Between two other examiners no significant difference was found only for the Lysholm and the HSS score in the young group and only for the Lysholm score in the middle-aged group. In the group of the senior patients no significant difference for the scores by Lysholm, Marshall and OAK were found. In the comparison of the second examiner pair no significant differences could be proven by the scores by Larson, the OAK and the HSS. All other comparisons were significantly different. In the comparison of all five scores significant differences were seen between the Larson score and the HSS and the Lysholm and the HSS. The Lysholm score proved to be the strictest, the HSS to be the leanest. CONCLUSION: Especially for the senior patients in dependency of the examiner and the chosen score significant differences were found concluding that the relevance of results lessens for future times as the score results drop with patient age anyway. The age span in one study should have a maximum of 10-20 years to reduce the influence of age on the final result.     

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome during low dosed neuroleptic medication in first-episode psychosis: a case report

 Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but potentially fatal side-effect of antipsychotic drug therapy, especially of dopamine receptor antagonists. As a dose relationship has been postulated, low dose neuroleptization would be expected to help to avoid this side-effect. In contrast, we report on a 21-year-old female following low dose fluphenazine treatment with 2.5 mg/day. The patient recovered from NMS after 3 days of dantrolene administration. Eventually, remission from psychotic symptoms was achieved with clozapine. At 8-month follow-up, psychopathology remained stable and there were no more signs of NMS. Received: 8 July 1998 / Final version: 6 November 1998     

Cell Type-specific Effects of the Neural Adhesion Molecules L1 and N-CAM on Diverse Second Messenger Systems

We have previously shown that the neural adhesion molecules L1 and N-CAM influence second messenger systems when triggered with specific antibodies at the surface of the phaeochromocytoma PC12 cell line (Schuch et al., Neuron, 3, 13 - 20, 1989). To determine whether the two molecules are linked to the same intracellular signalling cascades, independent of the cell type expressing them, or whether different neural cell types respond with different signal transduction mechanisms, we have investigated the effects of antibodies to L1 and N-CAM, and the isolated molecules themselves, on second messenger systems in different neural cell types. We have investigated cultures of cerebellar and dorsal root ganglion neurons and transformed Schwann cells and related these results to those obtained with the PC12 cell line. Here we show that addition of L1 and N-CAM antibodies and the isolated molecules themselves elicit cell type-specific responses that can be modulated by the substrate on which the cells are maintained. Depending on the cell type, cells respond to the triggering of L1 and N-CAM with antibodies, or addition of the purified molecules, by either up-regulation or down-regulation of inositol phosphate turnover, by a rise in intracellular Ca2+ levels dependent on or independent of the opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, or by an increase or decrease in intracellular pH. Moreover, cerebellar neurons expressing N-CAM respond to addition N-CAM, but not to N-CAM antibodies, in contrast to the other neural cell types studied, which respond to both triggers. Furthermore, cerebellar neurons were the only cells to show a rise in cAMP levels in response to any of the ligands tested. This stimulation of cAMP production by L1 antibodies depended on the cross-linking of L1 molecules at the cell surface, whereas the other responses did not depend on clustering of L1. Simultaneous addition of L1 and N-CAM antibodies either elicited an additive or more than additive effect on the intracellular responses which, for cerebellar neurons, depends on the substrate on which the cells are maintained. These observations indicate that L1 and N-CAM or their antibodies activate cell type-specific intracellular signalling systems and that the two molecules can act interdependently or independently of each other.     

Mathematical consideration of aqueous outflow after Trabeculo-Electropuncture (TEP)

Summary The obtainable postoperative intraocular pressure following a TEP in a glaucoma patient with an intraocular pressure of 30 mm Hg is calculated in accordance with the concept that there is no outflow of aqueous humor along Schlemm's canal. If aqueous humor reaches all collector channel openings in the surgical area without resistance, the postoperative intraocular pressure reads 14.75 mm Hg. This intraocular pressure is obtained at a point when a collector channel of 1 mm length and of 32 m in diameter or two collector channels of 27 in diameter or five collector channels of 22 in diameter establish connection with the trabecular opening.

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Zusammenfassung Der erreichbare postoperative Augendruck nach einer TEP bei einem Glaukompatienten mit dem Augendruck von 30 mm Hg wird unter der Vorstellung berechnet, daß es keinen Kammerwasserabfluß im Schlemmschen Kanal entlang gibt. Wenn das Kammerwasser alle Collector channel Öffnungen im Operationsgebiet ohne Widerstand erreicht, dann ist der postoperative Augendruck 14,75 mm Hg. Dieser intraokulare Druck wird dann erreicht, wenn ein Collector channel von 1 mm Länge und einem Durchmesser von 32 oder zwei Collector channel mit einem Durchmesser von 27 oder fünf Collector channel mit einem Durchmesser von 22 mit der Trabekelöffnung in Verbindung stehen.

     

Characterization of solidified reverse micellar solutions (SRMS) and production development of SRMS-based nanosuspensions.

Solidified reverse micellar solutions (SRMS), i.e. binary mixtures of 30-60% (w/w) lecithin and two different hard fats, were investigated regarding their physicochemical properties and the influence of lecithin on solid lipids. For this purpose, the systems were characterized with X-ray and thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photon correlation spectroscopy. The melting point (m.p.) of the solid lipids, which is a crucial parameter of the solid state, was not altered up to a lecithin concentration of 50% whereas reverse micelles were likely to be frozen still in the solid state. In addition, solubilities of 17beta-oestradiol-hemihydrate, pilocarpine base and hydrochloride in the SRMS melt were studied for evaluation of the drug carrier potency. Drug solubilization in the SRMS melt increased linearly with rising amount of lecithin. SRMS-based nanosuspensions were developed with a given lecithin/hard fat ratio of 1:1 (w/w). High-pressure homogenization was applied on cold to avoid lecithin loss. Optimization of the systems in terms of a variation of the homogenizing parameters such as pressure, number of cycles and temperature resulted in nanoparticulate systems with a polysorbate 80/SRMS ratio of 1:5 (w/w), and a total amount of 5 and 15% (w/w) SRMS, respectively. Production temperatures near the lipid m.p. proved best to be maintained by varying the pressure, yielding small nanoparticles with a narrow particle size distribution. The solid lipid nanoparticles were characterized with X-ray and thermal analysis as well as TEM. The crystalline particles (beta modification) are of anisometrical shape and have transition temperatures far below the bulk m.p. due to the colloidal character of the systems.     

Circulating growth factor levels are associated with tumorigenesis in neurofibromatosis type 1.

PURPOSE: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is characterized by systemic development of neurofibromas. Early clinical diagnosis can be ambiguous, and genetic diagnosis can be prohibitively difficult. Dysregulation of a number of growth factors has been suggested to be a mechanism of pathogenesis. This study was performed to assess the contribution of circulating growth factors for diffuse tumorigenesis and the diagnostic value of circulating growth factor identification in serum. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The growth stimulation of neurofibroma-derived cells by serum from NF1 patients was tested, and serum growth factor levels in a cohort of NF1 patients (n = 39) between the ages of 7 and 70 years were analyzed. RESULTS: Concentrations of midkine (MK) and stem cell factor, but not epidermal growth factor, were substantially increased in serum of NF1 patients when compared with healthy controls. Within the NF1 group, MK levels increased dramatically at puberty from an average of 0.79 ng/mL in patients <18 years to 1.18 ng/mL in patients >18 years old. Stem cell factor and MK concentrations above a defined threshold in serum of NF1 patients are of diagnostic benefit for 96% of patients in the cohort tested. Furthermore, serum from NF1 patients enhanced proliferation of human neurofibroma-derived primary Schwann cells and endothelial cells substantially better than normal serum. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced circulating growth factor levels contribute to diffuse tumorigenesis in NF1 and may provide the basis for molecular diagnosis.