Comparing environmental impacts of deep-seabed and land-based mining: A defensible framework.

The crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are interlinked and must be addressed jointly. A proposed solution for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and thus mitigating climate change, is the transition from conventional combustion-engine to electric vehicles. This transition currently requires additional mineral resources, such as nickel and cobalt used in car batteries, presently obtained from land-based mines. Most options to meet this demand are associated with some biodiversity loss. One proposal is to mine the deep seabed, a vast, relatively pristine and mostly unexplored region of our planet. Few comparisons of environmental impacts of solely expanding land-based mining versus extending mining to the deep seabed for the additional resources exist and for biodiversity only qualitative. Here, we present a framework that facilitates a holistic comparison of relative ecosystem impacts by mining, using empirical data from relevant environmental metrics. This framework (Environmental Impact Wheel) includes a suite of physicochemical and biological components, rather than a few selected metrics, surrogates, or proxies. It is modified from the "recovery wheel" presented in the International Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration to address impacts rather than recovery. The wheel includes six attributes (physical condition, community composition, structural diversity, ecosystem function, external exchanges and absence of threats). Each has 3-5 sub attributes, in turn measured with several indicators. The framework includes five steps: (1) identifying geographic scope; (2) identifying relevant spatiotemporal scales; (3) selecting relevant indicators for each sub-attribute; (4) aggregating changes in indicators to scores; and (5) generating Environmental Impact Wheels for targeted comparisons. To move forward comparisons of land-based with deep seabed mining, thresholds of the indicators that reflect the range in severity of environmental impacts are needed. Indicators should be based on clearly articulated environmental goals, with objectives and targets that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.

Data supporting the in situ synthesis by organometallic method of Vulcan supported PdNi nanostructures for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution.

This document presents the supporting information for the evaluation of the role of Ni amount during the in situ synthesis of vulcan supported PdNi nanostructures using an organometallic approach for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline medium [1]. The data here presented included analysis of deconvolution during structural characterization, chemical composition and transmission electron microscopy. The information also contains complement data of cyclic voltammograms during activation in alkaline media. Supplement data of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements at two different overpotentials (-100 and -300 mV) and temperatures on the onset potential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are also showed in this paper. The files can be used as a reference to determinate the effect of adding different in situ amount of Ni to Pd/C catalysts in presence of 2 equivalents of hexadecylamine (HDA) in order to improve the electrochemical performance on HER using an adjusted organometallic method. The data provided in this article have not been previously published and are available to enable critical or extended analyses.

Traumatismo de la médula espinal e incertidumbre desde la teoría de Merle Mishel / Spinal cord injury and uncertainty from the perspective of Merle Mishel's theory / Lesão medular e incerteza desde a teoria de Merle Mishel

Objetivo: Determinar el nivel de incertidumbre de las personas con traumatismo de la médula espinal desde la teoría de Mishel y su asociación con las características sociodemográficas. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, transversal. Se aplicó el instrumento de Incertidumbre frente a la Enfermedad, de Mishel, en 107 personas con traumatismo de la médula espinal. Se realizó análisis univariado para determinar las características sociodemográficas, y bivariado para determinar la asociación de la variable incertidumbre con las características sociodemográficas y los componentes de la teoría. Resultados: De la muestra estudiada el 96% fueron hombres y el 4% mujeres, el promedio de edad fue 36 años, con un mínimo de 19 y un máximo de 59 años; el tiempo promedio de la lesión fue de 151 meses; se encontró asociación significativa del nivel de incertidumbre con el estado civil, el nivel educativo bajo, el régimen de seguridad social en salud y con la capacidad cognitiva baja. Conclusión: Enfermería debe brindar una rehabilitación integral centrada en las necesidades de las personas con traumatismo de la médula espinal que incluya educación temprana y con sentido humanístico, para que la incertidumbre se constituya en un aspecto positivo para la adaptación de la personas a la nueva condición de vida.

Objective: From the perspective of Mishel's theory, to identify the levels of uncertainty in persons suffering from spinal cord injuries and the related associations with social and demographical characteristics. Methods: This is a descriptive and transversal study. The Uncertainty from Illness instrument was applied on 107 persons suffering from spinal cord injuries. Univariate analysis was conducted to determine the social and demographical characteristics, and bivariate analysis was conducted to determine the associations between the level of uncertainty and the social and demographical characteristics as well as the components of the theory. Results: From the studied sample, 96% were male and 4% female. The average age was 36 years old (range 19-59). The average time with the injury was 151 months. A significant association was found between the level of uncertainty and civil status, low education level, health social security regimen, and low cognitive capacity. Conclusion: Nursing can provide integral rehabilitation which is centered on the special needs, on early education, and on a humanistic approach, so that persons suffering from spinal cord injuries can mold their uncertainty into positive coping with their life condition.

Objetivo: Determinar o nível de incerteza das pessoas com lesão medular desde a Teoria de Mishel e sua associação com as caraterísticas sociodemográficas. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, transversal. Aplicou-se o instrumento de Incerteza Frente à Doença de Mishel, em 107 pessoas com trauma medular. Realizou-se análise univariada para determinar as caraterísticas sociodemográficas, e bivariado para determinar a associação da variável incerteza com as características sociodemográficas e os componentes da teoria. Resultados: Da amostra estudada o 96% foram homens e o 4% mulheres, a média de idade 36 anos, com um mínimo de 19 e um máximo de 59 anos; o tempo médio da lesão foi de 151 meses; encontrou-se associação significativa do nível de incerteza com o estado civil, nível educativo baixo, o regime de segurança social em saúde e com a capacidade cognitiva baixa. Conclusão: Enfermagem deve oferecer uma reabilitação integral centrada nas necessidades das pessoas com lesão medular, que inclua educação precoce e com sentido humanístico, para que a incerteza se constitua em um aspecto positivo para a adaptação das pessoas à nova condição de vida.

Uso de la medicación sintomática en la consulta pediátrica / Use of symptomatic medication in pediatric practice

Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de la prescripción, la cantidad, el costo medio y la forma de adquisición de la medicación sintomática (MS) en la atención primaria pediátrica.Metodología: Estudio observacional analítico prospectivo, se entrevistó a los padres acerca de la medicación indicada (droga, cantidad, nombre comercial y forma de adquisición). Resultados: Entre los meses de noviembre de 2007 a mayo de 2008 consultaron 35706 pacientes, de los cuales se tomaron al azar 202, considerando la edad el 19% (39/202) eran menores de 1 año, 81%(163/202) tenían entre 1 a 16 años(media5±4), el 52% eran de sexo masculino y todos procedían del departamento central (zonas urbanas). Los 5 motivos de consulta mas frecuentes fueron: tos 31%, fiebre 12%, tos y fiebre 10%, lesiones en piel 6%, odinofagia 5%. Los 4 diagnósticos más frecuentes infecciones respiratorias altas 31%, síndrome bronquial instructivo (SBO) 14%, crisis asmática 6 %, gastroenteritis aguda 5%. Las comorbilidades más frecuentes fueron piodermitis 33%, escabiosis 17% y desnutrición 17%. El 91% de los pacientes recibió MS, de estos el 48% recibió más de una. De las MS mas frecuentemente utilizadas fueron ibuprofeno 22%, paracetamol 18%, salbutamol (nebu) 16%, prednisona 10% entre otros. Considerando el grupo etario los lactantes menores recibieron menos MS que el resto de la población 82% vs 93% respectivamente (p< 0,05). No hubo diferencias entre los grupos etarios en cuanto al número de MS recibida. EL 67% de los pacientes adquirieron la MS por compra exclusivamente, el 18% compraron y además recibieron, o muestras médicas (MM) o a través de la farmacia social (FS) y solo el 15% recibió toda la medicación indicada sin costo (MM o FS).El costo medio de la MS fue de 21236 ±19300 guaraníes por paciente. Considerando la cantidad de MS indicada, cuando era una sola medicación el costo medio fue de 16989±20569, 2 medicaciones 25355 ±17385 y 3 medicaciones 27680±15240 (p= 0,01).

Introduction: A number of medications are offered in the worldwide pharmacological market whose therapeutic values are relative, questionable-to-null, or unacceptable as defined in the qualitative classification of medications of LaPorte. It is therefore necessary to assess the potential risk and benefits in relation to their costs. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of prescription of the medication, the amount used, the mean cost, and the way that symptomatic medication (SM) is acquired in primary pediatric care. Methods: A prospective, analytical, observational study. Using a questionnaire with open-ended and closed questions, parents were asked upon exiting the consultation about the medication indicated (drug name, quantity, commercial name, and means of acquisition). Sampling was by convenience. Data were loaded into the EPI INFO program for analysis. Results: In the months from November 200 to May 2008, 35,706 patients were seen, of whom 202 were chosen randomly, with 19% (39) being under age 1 year, 81% (163) between ages 1 and 16 years (mean 5±4 years), while 52% were male and all were from the urban zones of the country's Central Department. The five most common presenting complaints were cough (31%), fever (12%), cough and fever (10%), skin lesions (6%), and odynophagia (5%). The 4 most common diagnoses were upper respiratory infection (31%), bronchial obstruction syndrome (14%), status asthmaticus (6%), and acute gastroenteritis (5%). Most common comorbidities include pyodermia (33%), scabies (17%), and malnutrition (17%). Symptomatic medications were prescribed for 91% of patients, with 48% being given more than one. The symptomatic medications most frequently prescribed were ibuprofen (22%), paracetamol (acetaminophen) (8%), salbutamol (albuterol) (16%), and prednisone (10%). Infants received symptomatic medications less frequently than other age groups (82% vs. 93%, p=0.05)...

Salud mental del adulto mayor de Poza Rica de Hidalgo,Veracruz, México / The mental state of the greater Adult of Poza Rica de Hidalgo Veracruz, México

Introducción: Durante los últimos 50 años la disminución de la natalidad y la mortalidad mundial han sido uno de los factores que ha conducido progresivamente al envejecimiento poblacional. En México alrededor del 7% de la población está constituida por personas mayores de 65 años. Objetivo: valorar el estado mental del adulto mayor de Poza Rica de Hidalgo, Veracruz México, se utilizó un instrumento con variables sociodemográficas y test de valoración mental de Pfeiffer que consta de 10 preguntas sobre orientación, memoria y calculo sencillo. El cual califica las respuestas como correctas e incorrectas, teniendo los siguientes criterios: 0-2 errores función intelectual integra, 3-4 errores ligero deterioro intelectual, 5-7 errores moderado deterioro intelectual, 8-10 errores severo deterioro intelectual. Resultados: Participaron 111 adultos mayores, 56(50.5%) mujeres, y 55 (49.5%) hombres, con un promedio de edad de 71 años y desviación estándar de 6. Se encontró que el 16% de la población estudiada presentó algún grado de deterioro intelectual. Conclusiones: Las variables en estudio resultaron relacionadas con el estado mental, siendo importantes, ya que puede propiciar líneas de desarrollo en las políticas intersectoriales vinculadas a la salud mental, así mismo las acciones preventivas podrían focalizarse a este grupo vulnerable, a problemas específicos y más organizados.

Introduction: During last the 50 years the diminution of the natality and world-wide mortality have been one of the factors that have lead progressively to the population aging. In Mexico around 7% of the population this constituted by people majors of 65 years, Objective: to value the mental state of the greater adult of Poza Rica de Hidalgo, Veracruz Mexico, was used an instrument with sociodemografics variables and test of mental valuation of Pfeiffer who consists of 10 questions on direction, memory and I calculate simple. Which describes the correct and incorrect answers like, having the following criteria: 0-2 errors intellectual function Integra, 3-4 errors light intellectual deterioration, 5-7 errors moderate intellectual deterioration, 8-10 errors severe intellectual deterioration? Results: 111 greater adults, 56 (50, 5%) women participated, and 55 (49, 5%) men, with an average of age of 71 years and standard deviation of 6. One was that 16% of the studied population presented/displayed some degree of intellectual deterioration. Conclusions: the variables in study were related to the mental state, were important, it can cause lines of development in the tie intersectorial policies to the mental health, also the preventive actions could be focused to this vulnerable group, specific and but organized problems.

Effect of the spin-orbit interaction on the thermodynamic properties of crystals: specific heat of bismuth.

We discuss measurements and ab initio calculations of the specific heat for crystalline bismuth, strictly speaking, a semimetal but in the temperature region accessible to us (T>2 K) acting as a semiconductor. We extend experimental data available in the literature and notice that the ab initio calculations without spin-orbit interaction exhibit a maximum at approximately 8 K, about 20% lower than the measured one. Inclusion of spin-orbit interaction decreases the discrepancy markedly: the maximum of C(T) is now only 7% larger than the measured one. Exact agreement is obtained if the strength of the spin-orbit Hamiltonian is reduced by a factor of approximately 0.9. We also discuss the dependence of the lattice parameter and the cohesive energy on spin-orbit interaction.

Relationship of obesity to depression: a family-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between obesity and depression in a sample of extremely obese individuals and their siblings and parents. SUBJECTS: A total of 1730 European Americans (558 men, 1172 women, aged 49.29+/-15.42 y, body mass index (BMI) of 35.57+/-11.53 kg/m(2)) and 373 African Americans (103 men, 270 women, aged 44.85+/-15.08 years, BMI of 36.83+/-11.31 kg/m(2)) in a sample of 482 nuclear families segregating extreme obesity and normal weight. MEASUREMENTS: Individual BMI, history of depression treatment and covariates (age, sex, race, education, marital status, socioeconomic status, chronic medical conditions and exercise program). RESULTS: Greater odds for depression were found for the obese, European American, women, the unmarried, the more educated, those with chronic physical disorder(s) and the offspring of depressed parents. A trend test found that the odds ratios for depression increased with BMI and number of chronic medical conditions (P<0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that BMI, race, marital status, chronic medical conditions and family history were the predicators of depression for both the genders. Hierarchical analyses revealed that BMI significantly increased the risk above that predicated by the combined effects of all other variables. CONCLUSIONS: Extreme obesity was associated with the increased risk for depression across gender and racial groups, even after controlling for chronic physical disease, familial depression and demographic risk factors. More detailed research is needed to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Suicide in mood disorders.

A selective literature review was conducted to determine the link between mood disorders and suicide in children and adolescents. On-line searches of Medline and PubMed were performed and research articles from 1978 to 2001 were reviewed. Mood disorders are reported to be the most common psychiatric illnesses in children and adolescents who attempt or commit suicide. Reports suggest that depression co-morbid with any other psychiatric illness, externalizing disorders, or substance abuse further increases the risk for suicide completion. Mood disorders in children and adolescents are frequently underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, and undertreated. Data suggest that very early identification combined with aggressive and sustained treatment of mood disorders in youth may actually lessen the risk for suicide.

A prospective cohort study of genetic and perinatal influences in the etiology of schizophrenia.

In this study, we examined whether fetal hypoxia and other obstetric complications (OCs) are related to risk for adult schizophrenia; whether such effects are specific to cases with an early age at onset; and whether the obstetric influences depend on, covary with, or are independent of familial risk. Subjects were 72 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder; 63 of their siblings not diagnosed with schizophrenia; and 7,941 nonpsychiatric controls, whose gestations and births were monitored prospectively with standard research protocols as part of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project. Adult psychiatric morbidity was ascertained via a longitudinal treatment data base indexing regional public health service utilization, and diagnoses were made by review of all pertinent medical records according to DSM-IV criteria. We found that the odds of schizophrenia increased linearly with increasing number of hypoxia-associated OCs and that this effect was specific to cases with an early age at onset/first treatment contact. There were no relationships between schizophrenia and birth weight or other (prenatal/nonhypoxic) OCs. Siblings of patients with schizophrenia were no more likely to have suffered hypoxia-associated OCs than were nonpsychiatric cohort controls. Because the majority of individuals exposed to fetal hypoxia did not develop schizophrenia, such factors likely are incapable of causing schizophrenia on their own. Together, these findings suggest that hypoxia acts additively or interactively with genetic factors in influencing liability to schizophrenia. We propose a model in which the neurotoxic effects of fetal hypoxia may lead to an earlier onset of psychosis because of premature pruning of cortical synapses.

Childhood neuromotor dysfunction in schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings: a prospective cohort study.

Neuromotor dysfunction is a consistent finding in high-risk and archival studies of schizophrenia, but the sources of this dysfunction and its role in the developmental course of the disorder remain poorly understood. This study examined childhood motor predictors of adult psychiatric outcome in a birth cohort sample (72 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 63 unaffected siblings, and 7,941 nonpsychiatric controls), evaluated prospectively with neurologic examinations at 8 months, 4 years, and 7 years of age. Deviance on motor coordination measures at 7 years was associated with both adult schizophrenia and unaffected sibling status, suggesting that a cofamilial (and perhaps genetic) factor underlies motor coordination deficits in schizophrenia. Unusual movements at ages 4 and 7 predicted adult schizophrenia but not unaffected sibling status, indicating that these deficits may be specific to those who will develop the clinical phenotype. None of the motor precursors were confined to patients with an early age at first treatment contact. Fetal hypoxia predicted unusual movements at 4 but not 7 years among the preschizophrenia subjects, suggesting neurodevelopmental dependence of its functional effects. Neither prenatal complications nor birth weight were associated with motor dysfunction in preschizophrenia subjects or their unaffected siblings at any age. Finally, preschizophrenia children did not show the expected developmental decline in unusual movements, perhaps reflecting aberrant functional maturation of cortical-subcortical pathways.

Childhood cognitive functioning in schizophrenia patients and their unaffected siblings: a prospective cohort study.

While it is known that children of schizophrenia parents perform more poorly on tests of cognitive functioning than children of normal parents, less certain is the degree to which such deficits predict schizophrenia outcome, whether cognitive functioning deteriorates during childhood in preschizophrenia individuals, and whether nongenetic etiologic factors (such as obstetric complications) contribute to these deficits. In the present study, 72 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 63 of their siblings not diagnosed with schizophrenia, and 7,941 controls with no diagnosis were ascertained from a birth cohort whose members had been evaluated with standardized tests of cognitive functioning at 4 and 7 years of age. Adult psychiatric morbidity was ascertained via a longitudinal treatment data base indexing regional public health service utilization, and diagnoses were made by review of all pertinent medical records according to DSM-IV criteria. Both the patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings performed significantly worse than the nonpsychiatric controls (but did not differ from each other) on verbal and nonverbal cognitive tests at 4 and 7 years of age. Preschizophrenia cases and their siblings were increasingly overrepresented across decreasing quartiles of the performance distributions. There was not significant intra-individual decline, and there were no significant relationships between obstetric complications and test performance among the preschizophrenia subjects. These results suggest that during the period from age 4 to age 7 years, premorbid cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia represents a relatively stable indicator of vulnerability deriving from primarily genetic (and/or shared environmental) etiologic influences.

A prospective cohort study of childhood behavioral deviance and language abnormalities as predictors of adult schizophrenia.

Language and behavioral deviance in early childhood in preschizophrenia individuals suggests that the pathologic processes predisposing to schizophrenia are present from early in life. However, the etiologic antecedents of such impairments, and the degree to which they predict adult schizophrenia, have not been conclusively demonstrated. To address this, we examined language and behavioral predictors of adult psychiatric outcome in a population cohort (72 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, 63 of their unaffected siblings, and 7,941 with no diagnosis) evaluated prospectively with behavioral examinations and a speech and language evaluation at 8 months, 4 years, and 7 years of age. Psychiatric outcome was ascertained via adult treatment contacts, and diagnoses were made by chart review according to DSM-IV criteria. Social maladjustment at age 7 was found to predict adult schizophrenia, and focal deviant behaviors (e.g., echolalia, meaningless laughter) at ages 4 and 7 were significantly associated with both schizophrenia and sibling status. Unintelligible speech at age 7 was a highly significant predictor of adult schizophrenia (odds ratio = 12.7), and poor expressive language ability predicted both schizophrenia and unaffected sibling outcome. Early behavioral and language dysfunction did not differentially characterize preschizophrenia subjects with a history of fetal hypoxia or an early age of first treatment contact. Given that unaffected siblings show similar signs of deviance, such problems may indicate genotypic susceptibility to the disorder, or shared environmental influences, or both.

Intrauterine lead exposure and preterm birth.

The objective of this study was to determine the risk of preterm birth in relation to umbilical cord blood lead levels (UCL) among primiparous and multiparous women. A case-cohort study was performed in Mexico City during 1995. A total of 459 full-term births was compared with 161 preterm births (before 37 gestational weeks). Mothers were interviewed before the delivery about their reproductive histories and other related factors of preterm birth. Lead was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Lead levels were higher in primiparous women who had a preterm birth than in primiparous women with a full-term birth (9.77+/-2.0 microgram/dl vs 8.24+/-2.15 microgram/dl); this difference was marginally significant. After adjusting for other known preterm birth risk factors, the frequency of preterm birth was almost three times higher among women who had UCL levels greater or equal to 5.1 microgram/dl compared to those who had UCL levels lower than 5.1 microgram/dl. This difference was not observed among multiparous women. Our results suggest that intrauterine lead exposure may be associated with preterm birth in first deliveries but not in subsequent ones.

A prospective cohort study of neurodevelopmental processes in the genesis and epigenesis of schizophrenia.

A number of lines of evidence converge in implicating neurodevelopmental processes in the etiology and epigenesis of schizophrenia. In this study we used a prospective, longitudinal design to examine whether adverse obstetric experiences predict schizophrenia and whether there is a deviant functional-developmental trajectory during the first 7 years of life among individuals who manifest schizophrenia as adults. The 9,236 members of the Philadelphia cohort of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project were screened for mental health service utilization in adulthood, and chart reviews were performed to establish diagnoses according to DSM-IV criteria. The risk for schizophrenia increased linearly with the number of hypoxia-associated obstetric complications but was unrelated to maternal infection during pregnancy or fetal growth retardation. Preschizophrenic cases (and their unaffected siblings who were also cohort members) manifested cognitive impairment, abnormal involuntary movements and coordination deficits, and poor social adjustment during childhood. There was no evidence of intraindividual decline in any domain, but preschizophrenic cases did show deviance on an increasing number of functional indicators with age. Together, these findings suggest that both genetic and obstetric factors participate in creating a neural diathesis to schizophrenia, the phenotypic expressions of which are age dependent, probably reflecting the maturational status of a number of interconnected brain systems.

A pilot study of clomipramine in young autistic children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the short-term efficacy and safety of clomipramine in hospitalized young children with autism. METHOD: This was an open pilot study; after a 1-week placebo baseline, subjects were treated with clomipramine for 5 weeks. Dosage was individually regulated; starting dose was 25 mg/day; increments were 25 mg/day. Maximum dose was 250 mg/day or 5.0 mg/kg per day, whichever was less. Multiple raters, under several conditions, used the Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impressions, Conners Parent Teacher Questionnaire, and the Clinical Global Consensus Ratings. RESULTS: Eight children, aged 3.5 to 8.7 years, were enrolled in the study; seven of these completed the study. A 3.5-year-old boy was excluded during the third week of treatment after having urinary retention on two occasions. At doses ranging from 2.50 to 4.64 mg/kg per day (mean = 3.14), one child improved moderately and six were rated as worse on the Clinical Global Consensus Ratings. Untoward effects were common. CONCLUSIONS; Clomipramine was not therapeutic and was associated with serious untoward effects in this sample. Young autistic children may be more prone to experience untoward effects than older patients.

A comparison of live and videotape ratings: clomipramine and haloperidol in autism.

This study compared live ratings with ratings of videotapes and compared response to clomipramine with response to haloperidol in 8 subjects, mean age 5.62 years, who met criteria for autism. They were consecutive admissions to a pilot study of clomipramine (n = 4) or a double-blind, placebo controlled study of haloperidol (n = 4). Live ratings were performed by two raters at the end of the pre-treatment placebo baseline period and at the end of the drug treatment period on the CPRS and the CGI and were videotaped. Employing the same instruments, these videotapes were rated by two raters who did not know the subjects and were blind to study design, treatment, and study phase. Ratings of videotapes significantly differed from live ratings. A treatment effect for haloperidol was detected only on live ratings and not on ratings of videotapes. No treatment effect was detected for clomipramine in either live or videotape ratings.

Schizophrenia in hospitalized adolescents: clinical diagnosis, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and ICD-10 criteria.

The DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and ICD-10 criteria were tested in hospitalized adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders employing a retrospective chart review. The charts of 111 patients, ages 11 to 17 years, representing consecutive admissions to Bellevue Hospital Center over a period of 18 months were reviewed. Thirty patients had a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders on admission and were selected for the present study. The 30 patients were independently rediagnosed using the criteria of DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and ICD-10. Schizophrenia was diagnosed clinically in 6 patients, 10 met DSM-III-R criteria, 9 met DSM-IV criteria, and 12 met the ICD-10 criteria. Agreement for schizophrenia was high across the diagnostic systems. The clinical diagnosis of psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified (NOS) was overinclusive. The mean number of psychotic symptoms per subject was 2.66 (range 1-6). We found no significant relationship between the frequency or type of symptoms and the age or gender of subjects.

Placebo response in aggressive children with conduct disorder.

Aggressiveness and explosiveness characterize a subgroup of children diagnosed with conduct disorder (CD). Few double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have been conducted in aggressive children with CD, and no study has differentiated placebo responders from nonresponders. This study examined factors that may differentiate placebo responders from nonresponders hospitalized in a structured setting. The sample consisted of 25 children, ages 6.25 to 11.95 years, with CD and a profile of aggressive and explosive behavior, who were assigned to placebo treatment as part of a double-blind study of lithium. Responders were compared to nonresponders with respect to a detrimental psychosocial environmental score, age, IQ, and baseline ratings on the Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impressions. Responders had significantly higher detrimental psychosocial environmental scores than nonresponders; they were particularly more likely to come from violent homes and to have criminally charged parents. Demographic variables did not distinguish the two groups; however, even mild hyperactivity was associated with poorer response to placebo.

Neuroleptic-related dyskinesias and stereotypies in autistic children: videotaped ratings.

Tardive dyskinesia, an involuntary abnormal movement disorder, is a serious untoward effect of neuroleptic treatment. Certain patient populations likely to be treated with neuroleptics have an increased rate of abnormal movements--or stereotypies (ST)--at baseline that may be difficult to differentiate from neuroleptic-related dyskinesias. The objective of the present study was to ascertain whether blind raters could differentiate dyskinesias from ST on videotapes of autistic children and to compare ratings on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) of patients seen live with ratings of patients seen on videotapes. Blind raters of videotapes could only differentiate dyskinesias from ST 59.3 percent of the time. Mean AIMS scores were higher for children with dyskinesias than for children with ST. A discriminant function based on AIMS Items 1 (muscles of facial expression), 2 (lips and perioral area), 6 (lower extremities), and 7 (neck, shoulders, hips) correctly classified all 9 children with dyskinesias and 8 of the 9 children with ST.