The interaction of personality disorders and eating disorders: a two-year prospective study of patients with longstanding eating disorders

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to investigate the relation between personality disorders and symptoms of both eating disorders and general psychopathology over time. METHOD: Seventy-four patients, with a mean age of 30 years and admitted to a hospital for treatment of a chronic eating disorder, were assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI), the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II disorders (SCID-II) at admission, and after 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: At the 2-year follow-up, there was considerable reduction in both personality and symptoms (effect size = 0.83-0.94). Panel modeling using structural equation modeling techniques indicated that symptomatic changes generally preceded changes in the personality disorder. DISCUSSION: Eating disorder symptoms and general symptomatology had direct effects on a dimensional personality disorder index. Thus, personality disorders may be at least partially a consequence of general symptomatology in chronic eating disorders. Symptom improvement appears to precede changes in personality in this sample of patients with chronic eating disorders.     

Basic principles for evaluation of less deformable erythrocyte subpopulations with the Microfiltrometer

The Microfiltrometer consists of a filtration system for diluted erythrocyte suspensions, through a filter containing 30 cylindrical micropores, 5 microm in diameter, under the influence of a driving pressure. A feeding sinusoidal alternating current of 40 kHz, 300 microA is delivered to the filter. The change in impedance is collected for each temporary flow of erythrocytes through a given micropore. Two main parameters are measured for individually explored erythrocytes: the entry time tau in the micropore and the maximal variation of impedance deltaZ occurring for the transitory flow. The slope deltaZ/tau defines the velocity of pore blockage. A "Microfiltrometer Deformability Index" (MDI) is established by using this slope. When MDI > or = 1, the erythrocyte is considered to be deformable and, conversely, when MDI < 1, the erythrocyte is considered to be undeformable. Using this procedure, less than 2% undeformable erythrocytes in healthy blood samples are identified, with a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of 97.5%.     

Cancer incidence among male Norwegian asphalt workers

BACKGROUND: The main objective of the present study was to investigate whether exposure to bitumen fumes could enhance the risk of cancer in asphalt workers. METHODS: A historical prospective cohort study was performed including 8,763 male asphalt workers from all main asphalt companies in Norway. Name, date of birth, and unique personal identification number, address, job type, and start and stop of employment in specific jobs was obtained for the workers. Information was complied from payroll and personnel records in the companies. The cohort was then linked to the Cancer Registry of Norway, which has complete records of individual cases of cancer in the Norwegian population since 1953. Follow-up was from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 1997. The 5-year age and period adjusted general male population in Norway served as reference population. RESULTS: Lung cancer was found elevated with standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 1.3 (95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.1, 1.7) in the overall analysis. Lung cancer was found more elevated in workers first exposed in the 1950s and 1960s and in mastic asphalt workers (SIR = 4.2, 95% CI = 1.2, 10, based on four cases) and pavers (SIR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.9). There was a deficiency in the incidence of malignant melanoma with 13 cases versus 26 expected. CONCLUSIONS: Risk of lung cancer was found enhanced among the asphalt workers. Some of the enhanced risk could probably be explained by the smoking habits of the workers. Exposure to coal tar may also have contributed to the enhanced risk.     

Skin conductance changes during the first year of life in full-term infants

Skin conductance changes (SCC) reflect the activity in the sympathetic postganglionic cholinergic fibers, which innervate the sweat glands located in the palm of the hand and the sole of the foot. The purpose of this study was to measure the changes in the number of waves per second, the wave amplitude, and the mean skin conductance level during the 1st year of life. During SCC elicited by an auditory stimulus we measured the percentage of infants that responded, the amplitude, latency and recovery times, and any habituation pattern. Thirty-nine full-born, healthy infants were investigated during their 1st and 3rd days of life, at 3 and 10 wk of life, and at 6 and 12 mo of life. The mean skin conductance level (p < 0.001), the number of waves with an amplitude threshold higher than 0.5 and 1.0 micro siemens (p < 0.001), and the amplitude of the waves (p < 0.001) all increased during the first 10 wk of life. The percentage that responded to stimuli increased from 8% to 50%, and the amplitude of the response increased during the first 10 wk of life (p < 0.001). The level of arousal influenced the mean skin conductance level, the number of waves per second, and the amplitude of the waves during the 1st year of life. In conclusion, these results indicate that the part of the sympathetic nervous system associated with arousal develops during the first 10 wk of life.     

A cognitive therapy program for hearing-impaired employees suffering from mental distress

Objective: To develop a cognitive therapy program to reduce mental distress among hearing-impaired employees. Design: In a pilot study we measured the development of mental distress and avoidant coping among hearing-impaired employees. Levels of mental distress were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD), and the extent of avoidance with conversation tactics checklist CONV(AVOID). The findings were compared with the development in a treatment as usual (TAU) sample. Study sample: Fifteen participants with an equal distribution of male and female participants (M = 49.2 years) took part. The majority had mild to moderate hearing impairment. Results: The program appeared to be feasible and the adherence was good. The mean depression score was identical at pre- and post-intervention in the intervention group, and increased from 2.9 (SD 2.1) to 3.1 (SD 2.0) in the TAU group. Symptoms of anxiety (p < 0.01, 95 % CI (.82, 3.98)) and avoidant communication (p < 0.05, 95% CI (.5, 4.61)) decreased significantly in the intervention group, while an opposite pattern was observed during the TAU program. Conclusions: The program showed promising results. However, the preliminary results should be further investigated in a randomized controlled trial using a larger sample.     

Electrodermal activity by DC potential and AC conductance measured simultaneously at the same skin site

Background: For a long time, DC conductance has been the most important parameter in electrodermal routine measurements. However, DC current flow polarizes the electrodes, electrolyzes the skin, disturbs the measurement of conductance by possible varying electromotive forces (EMFs) in the circuit, and impedes the registration of the skin endosomatic DC potential. Methods: We therefore present a measuring system where DC current was replaced by a small AC current in a monopolar system, enabling the DC potential and AC conductance to be measured simultaneously at the same skin site. Results: We have also found examples of skin potential (SP) response waveforms with diphasic sharp edges not appearing in the conductance waveforms. The potential responses were found to be more robust with respect to movement artifacts, and the instrumentation could discern whether the indifferent electrode actually was on an inactive skin site. Conclusion: In order to study the generating mechanisms of EDA in detail, the SP must be measured without DC current flow and compared with AC conductance results.     

Spontaneous enterochromaffin-like cell carcinomas in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) are prevented by a somatostatin analogue

Among inbred female cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) 25-50% of the animals develop spontaneous gastric carcinomas; the corresponding figure for male cotton rats is approximately 1%. Animals with carcinomas have hypergastrinaemia and gastric hypo-anacidity and the tumours are derived from enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells. The mechanism behind the hypo-anacidity is unknown. Carcinomas are found in all female cotton rats with hypergastrinaemia lasting more than 4 months and this represents an excellent animal model for studying gastric carcinogenesis. In this study, the somatostatin analogue octreotide was given to female cotton rats to prevent carcinoma development caused by hypergastrinaemia. Twelve female cotton rats were given monthly injections of long-acting octreotide (5 mg i.m.) for 6 months. A control group of 20 animals was not given injections. Of the 20 control animals, 13 developed hypergastrinaemia and histologically invasive carcinomas or dysplasia. Of the 12 animals in the octreotide group, five developed hypergastrinaemia. None of these five animals developed histological cancer (P<0.05), whereas three had dysplasia. However, octreotide did not affect plasma gastrin concentration or antral gastrin mRNA abundance significantly. Dysplasia of the oxyntic mucosa in hypergastrinaemic animals was accompanied by a marked increase in chromogranin A-immunoreactive cells and cells positive for Sevier-Munger staining. The malignant tissue also contained groups of cells with Sevier-Munger staining. In conclusion, octreotide prevented ECL cell carcinomas in hypergastrinaemic cotton rats without lowering the gastrin concentration.