The process of exploration in identity formation: the role of style and competence.

This study drew on two approaches to identity formation, each postulating differing but complementary exploration components (style and competence), in an effort to better understand the identity exploration process. The sample for this study (n=215) was socio-demographically diverse with respect to gender, age, ethnicity and setting, with participants drawn from two universities in two different settings (rural residential, and urban non-residential), with differing ethnicities (primarily non-Hispanic White vs. primarily Hispanic) and varying ages. Overall patterns of results revealed by hierarchical regression analyses were consistent with a process model of exploration and with the view that exploration is a multi-dimensional process comprized of multiple components. The findings also provide evidence for the utility of both of the critical constructivist and co-constructivist approaches to identity formation used in this study, and for the validity of the rich clinical/qualitative literature that gave rise to the construct of exploration.

Improved demonstration of endometrial polyps and submucous myomas using saline-enhanced vaginal sonohysterography.

We evaluated the efficacy of enhancing the vaginal ultrasound visualization of endometrial polyps and submucous fibroids using the intrauterine saline as a contrast medium in 30 women with abnormal uterine bleeding. Each woman underwent evaluation with a standard vaginal sonogram and then a saline-enhanced sonogram. For the latter, sterile saline was instilled into the uterine cavity with a soft polyethylene, intrauterine insemination cannula to enhance the visualization of intrauterine structures. The patients subsequently underwent hysteroscopy and endometrial sampling. The saline-enhanced vaginal sonohysterogram clearly improved the visualization of submucous myomas and endometrial polyps in 17 of 19 women. In four women it showed no evidence of myomas or polyps. In seven of the earlier procedures in this series, filling of the uterine cavity was too poor to use the results. We conclude that vaginal saline sonohysterogram is simple yet safe, and is a valuable preoperative diagnostic procedure.

Clinical evaluation of the athlete.

Specialized testing of athletes requires procedures and instrumentation not normally used by primary care optometrists. The testing protocols necessary to obtain a thorough evaluation of the visual system of athletes are described, with emphasis on the procedures that are currently in standard use by sports vision specialists.

[Regional blood lactate level in arterial occlusive diseases]. / Issledovanie kontsentratsii laktata v regionarnoi krovi pri obliteriruiushchikh zabolevaniiakh arterii.

Fifty-seven patients with obliterating diseases of the lower limb arteries were examined. The concentration of lactate in the venous blood and the venous-arterial difference in the blood lactate level in the affected limb were found to be increased. A relationship between the marked character of these shifts and the severity of the ischemic syndrome was noted. The authors discuss the possibility of using the values of the lactate content in the regional blood as criteria for evaluating the efficacy of treatment and the prognosis of obliterating diseases of the lower limb arteries.

Presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome.

Presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) is a commonly observed fungal infection. Ocular findings include peripapillary atrophy, peripheral punched-out lesions, and a macular subretinal neovascular membrane. Laser photocoagulation can be beneficial in reducing visual loss from macular scarring due to subretinal neovascular membranes. Herein we describe a patient with POHS in which laser treatment regressed a parafoveal subretinal neovascular membrane. Her vision improved from 20/70 to 20/20 in the treated eye.

[Electron microscope study of pigmented villonodular synovitis]. / Elektronno-mikroskopicheskoe issledovanie pigmentirovannogo vorsinchato-uzelkovogo sinovita.

The ultrastructure of pigmented villonodular synovitis was studied on the operation material from 5 patients. Differences in the cell composition of villous and nodular formations typical of the disease were found. Different functional conditions of foamy cells was noted. Since foamy and fibroblastic cells were most numerous the possibility of accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes capable of excreting a proliferation factor in response to the primary local disturbance of lipid metabolism in fibroblast cells in pigmented villonodular synovitis is discussed.

[Immunofluorescence study of reactions between the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and components of connective tissue cellular elements]. / Izuchenie reaktsii syvorotki bol'nykh revmatoidnym artritom s komponentami kletochnykh élementov soedinitel'noi tkani metodom immunofliuorestsentsii.

By means of immunofluorescence using sera against three classes of human immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA), localization of the components (or one of the components) responsible for reaction of sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with connective tissue antigens was found to be in the cytoplasm of different kinds of cell elements of the connective tissue present in joints. Sera from RA patients collected at different stages of the disease reacted with connective tissue cell elements in titers of 1 : 64 to 1 : 1024, whereas sera from normal subjects (in 33% of specimens) reacted only to 1 : 8--1 : 16.