Differential associations of conduct disorder, callous-unemotional traits and irritability with outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression.

BACKGROUND: Previous work has examined the association of aggression levels and callous-unemotional traits with outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression. Less work has examined the outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression of adolescents with Conduct Disorder (CD). Also, no studies have examined links between irritability (a second socio-affective trait associated with CD) and these social cognitive processes despite the core function of anger in retaliatory aggression and establishing dominance. METHOD: The current study, investigating these issues, involved 193 adolescents (typically developing [TD; N = 106], 87 cases with CD [N = 87]). Participants completed an adaptation of the Outcomes Expectations and Values Questionnaire and were assessed for CU traits and irritability via the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional traits and the Affective Reactivity Index. RESULTS: While CD was associated with atypical outcome expectations this was not seen within statistical models including CU traits and irritability. CU traits were associated with decreased expectation that aggression would result in feelings of remorse and victim suffering, as well as decreased concern that aggressive acts would result in punishment and victim suffering. Irritability was associated with increased expectations and concern that aggression would result in dominance and forced respect. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that CU traits and irritability, often present in youth with CD, are associated with different forms of maladaptive outcome expectations and values regarding the consequences of aggression. This suggests that the atypical social cognitive processes underlying aggressive behavior among youth exhibiting CU traits may differ from those exhibiting problems regulating anger.

Thermodynamic properties of model solids with short-ranged potentials from Monte Carlo simulations and perturbation theory.

Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to determine the excess energy and the equation of state of fcc solids with Sutherland potentials for wide ranges of temperatures, densities, and effective potential ranges. The same quantities have been determined within a perturbative scheme by means of two procedures: (i) Monte Carlo simulations performed on the reference hard-sphere system and (ii) second-order Barker-Henderson perturbation theory. The aim was twofold: on the one hand, to test the capability of the "exact" MC-perturbation theory of reproducing the direct MC simulations and, on the other hand, the reliability of the Barker-Henderson perturbation theory, as compared with direct MC simulations and MC-perturbation theory, to determine the thermodynamic properties of these solids depending on temperature, density, and potential range. We have found that the simulation data for the excess energy obtained from the two procedures are in close agreement with each other. For the equation of state, the results from the MC-perturbation procedure also agree well with the direct MC simulations except for very low temperatures and extremely short-ranged potentials. Regarding the Barker-Henderson perturbation theory, we have found that in general the second-order approximation does not provide significant improvement over the first-order one.

Generalized van der Waals theory for the thermodynamic properties of square-well fluids.

A theory previously developed for the coordination number of square-well fluids is used within the context of a generalized van der Waals theory to obtain the compressibility factor and the internal energy of these fluids. Results are compared with computer simulations for several densities, temperatures, and potential widths, which are also reported.

[Evaluation of 2 tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis regimens in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The GECMEI Group]. / Evaluación de dos pautas de quimioprofilaxis tuberculosa en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Grupo GECMEI.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the compliance, tolerance and efficacy of a short chemoprophylaxis regimen (IR) for tuberculosis using isoniazid (INH) plus rifampin (RIF) during 3 months versus a standard regimen (I) of isoniazid during 12 months in HIV positive patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, comparative, randomized and open clinical trial in four general hospitals and one prison hospital of Castilla-La Mancha. Prophylaxis was administered to PPD-positive patients and to anergic patients according to the CDC recommendations (1991). Patients were randomized in two treatment groups: regimen IR, isoniazid 300 mg daily and rifampin 600 mg daily; regimen I, isoniazid 300 mg during 12 months. RESULTS: 133 patients were included, 64 to regimen I and 69 to regimen IR. Regimen IR had a better tolerance with a 28% of adverse effects versus 55% in regimen I. Hepatotoxicity was more frequent in regimen I with a RR = 2.2 (CI 95% 1.23-4.01). Severe hepatotoxicity leading to treatment withdrawal was related to drug administration time and was more frequent in the 12 months regimen group. Short regimen showed a better compliance, without significant differences. Tuberculosis incidence rate was a 4.23 cases/100 persons--year for regimen I and 2.08 in regimen IR, with a relative risk for developing tuberculosis with regimen IR group of 0.51 (CI 95% 0.09-2.8) versus regimen I group, without statistical significance. Prison stay was associated to a significant risk for tuberculosis, regardless of both regimens (RR = 9.2 CI 95%, 1.06-80.2). CONCLUSIONS: In HIV-infected patients with PPD(+) or anergic, regimen with IR is at least as effective as regimen I for preventing the development of tuberculous disease, and has less adverse effects.

[Primary abscess of the psoas]. / Abscesos primarios de psoas.

We present in this paper a series of cases from our Service of primary abscesses in psoas. We consider the appearance of immunosuppressed patients as a relevant factor of its etiopathogenicity. We believe that a C.A.T. is the best diagnostic method. All three patients that underwent open surgery have had complications. The patients treated with percutaneous puncture has shown a favourable evolution.

[Retroperitoneal liposarcoma]. / Liposarcoma retroperitoneal.

The paper presents a case of giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma treated in our unit. New diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives for such uncommon tumours are commented upon.

[Penile incarceration with metal rings]. / Incarceración peneana por anillos metálicos.

Contribution of a case report of penial incarceration following placement of three thick metal rings and its resolution. Literature review.

[Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Preliminary experience]. / Prostatectomía radical laparoscópica: experiencia preliminar.

OBJECTIVE: Laparoscopic technique has been developed with the aim to decrease the morbidity of the open radical prostatectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From january 2002 to may 2002, 8 patients were treated for prostate cancer with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Unilateral linfadenectomy has been carried out in only one patient. We usually employ the transperitoneal technique published by the Montsouris Institute, with some modifications. RESULTS: The main surgical time was 356 minutes (540-240). Transfusion wasn't needed in any case. Intraoperative complications were: 2 bladder injuries, 1 bleeding of the epigastric artery. Postoperative complications were: 1 ileus, 2 compressive neurapraxia, 4 anastomotic fistutas. All complications were treated conservatively. No patient were converted to open surgery. Surgical limits were negatifs in all cases, and the PSA rate was less than 0.1 ng/ml in the first month follow up. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a difficult technique, but we think that, the learning curve is getting lower and lower than in the first series. Oncologic results with this technique is similar to the open one. However, laparoscopic approach shows us some benefits such as less bleeding, less time catheterisation, less hospital stay, better continence, better sexual function, better stetic result, less postoperative pain, and finally an earlier back to work.

[Triple ureter in crossed renal ectopy: an embryologic rarity]. / Triplicidad ureteral en la ectopia renal cruzada: una rareza embriológica.

Presentation of one case of CRE (crossed renale ectopia) with triplicity (trifidity) of the ortho and ectopic collector systems, due to the existence in both cases of pyelourethral bifidity and a third cranial blind ureter. This case represents a casual finding during a routine study of a female patient with orthostatic and exertion urinary incontinence (EUI). The case idiosyncrasies, which initially elicited the possibility of urethral ectopia, are analyzed. Incidence and variants of this unusual congenital anomaly are commented upon.

[Renal hydatid cysts: our experience]. / Quistes hidatídicos renales: nuestra experiencia.

Retrospective review of r.h.c. (renal hydatid cysts) cases, since the opening of our hospital in March 1974 through December 1989. Four cases diagnosed with r.h.c., aged between 11 and 58 years, out of a total 15,700 patients seen in this centre throughout that time are presented. Emphasis is made on the rarity of this condition in spite of it being endemic in this area. The variety of its clinical forms together with the youth of two of the patients, have encouraged us to review, and make an in-depth reflection upon a subject about which there is an ever decreasing number of references to be found. We contribute the diagnostic value of the modern and highly demonstrative radiological image tests, echography and CAT.

The vanishing limit of the square-well fluid: the adhesive hard-sphere model as a reference system.

We report a simulation study of the gas-liquid critical point for the square-well potential, for values of well width delta as small as 0.005 times the particle diameter sigma. For small delta, the reduced second virial coefficient at the critical point B2*c is found to depend linearly on delta. The observed weak linear dependence is not sufficient to produce any significant observable effect if the critical temperature Tc is estimated via a constant B2*c assumption, due to the highly nonlinear transformation between B2*c and Tc. This explains the previously observed validity of the law of corresponding states. The critical density rho c is also found to be constant when measured in units of the cube of the average distance between two bonded particles (1+0.5 delta)sigma. The possibility of describing the delta-->0 dependence with precise functional forms provides improved accurate estimates of the critical parameters of the adhesive hard-sphere model.

Thermodynamic properties of van der Waals fluids from Monte Carlo simulations and perturbative Monte Carlo theory.

Computer simulations have been performed for fluids with van der Waals potential, that is, hard spheres with attractive inverse power tails, to determine the equation of state and the excess energy. On the other hand, the first- and second-order perturbative contributions to the energy and the zero- and first-order perturbative contributions to the compressibility factor have been determined too from Monte Carlo simulations performed on the reference hard-sphere system. The aim was to test the reliability of this "exact" perturbation theory. It has been found that the results obtained from the Monte Carlo perturbation theory for these two thermodynamic properties agree well with the direct Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, it has been found that results from the Barker-Henderson [J. Chem. Phys. 47, 2856 (1967)] perturbation theory are in good agreement with those from the exact perturbation theory.

Pair correlation function of short-ranged square-well fluids.

We have performed extensive Monte Carlo simulations in the canonical (NVT) ensemble of the pair correlation function for square-well fluids with well widths lambda-1 ranging from 0.1 to 1.0, in units of the diameter sigma of the particles. For each one of these widths, several densities rho and temperatures T in the ranges 0.1< or =rhosigma(3)< or =0.8 and T(c)(lambda) less or approximately T less or approximately 3T(c)(lambda), where T(c)(lambda) is the critical temperature, have been considered. The simulation data are used to examine the performance of two analytical theories in predicting the structure of these fluids: the perturbation theory proposed by Tang and Lu [Y. Tang and B. C.-Y. Lu, J. Chem. Phys. 100, 3079 (1994); 100, 6665 (1994)] and the nonperturbative model proposed by two of us [S. B. Yuste and A. Santos, J. Chem. Phys. 101 2355 (1994)]. It is observed that both theories complement each other, as the latter theory works well for short ranges and/or moderate densities, while the former theory works for long ranges and high densities.