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Approximately 73% of patients suffering from Borderline personality disorder (BPD) exhibit aggressive behaviour, which severely hinders therapeutic work and clinical improvement. Because the underlying mechanisms of aggression in BPD are not yet completely understood, additional research in this domain has a high clinical and scientific relevance. We employed a modified version of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm (mTAP), in order to examine for the first time whether this task can be used to differentiate between BPD patients and healthy controls with regard to reactive aggression. In the mTAP, the amount of money subtracted by a virtual opponent was categorized into 'low' (10-20 cents) and 'high' (80-100 cents) provocations, enabling us to compare how much money BPD patients and healthy controls subtracted (i.e., how aggressively participants responded) following high and low provocation trials. Our results showed that, compared to healthy controls, BPD patients showed higher overall aggression, higher aggression after high provocation trials, as well as a larger difference between high and low provocation trials. This finding was corroborated by a neuropsychological assessment, demonstrating higher levels of aggression and impulsivity in BPD patients. Interestingly, reactive aggression in the mTAP was positively correlated with symptom severity and impulsivity in BPD patients. We suggest that the mTAP provides a valuable tool allowing psychiatrists to quantify reactive aggression in BPD. Therefore, clinicians and researchers might consider this task, as a short experimental measure of reactive aggression, either in future studies or to aid diagnostic assessment during clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The neurotrophic hypothesis has become the favorite model to explain the antidepressant properties of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It is based on the assumption that a restoration of previously defective neural networks drives therapeutic effects. Recent data in rather young patients suggest that neurotrophic effects of ECT might be detectable by diffusion tensor imaging. We here aimed to investigate whether the therapeutic response to ECT necessarily goes along with mesoscopic effects in gray matter (GM) or white matter (WM) in our patients in advanced age. Patients (n = 21, 15 males and 7 females) suffering from major depressive disorder were treated with ECT. Before the start of treatment and after the completion of the index series, they underwent magnetic resonance imaging, including a diffusion-weighed sequence. We used voxel-based morphometry to assess GM changes and tract-based spatial statistics and an SPM-based whole-brain analysis to detect WM changes in the course of treatment. Patients significantly improved clinically during the course of ECT. This was, however, not accompanied by GM or WM changes. This result challenges the notion that mesoscopic brain structure changes are an obligatory prerequisite for the antidepressant effects of ECT.

Although alcohol dependency is a burden to society, data on cognitive performance in therapy-resistant patients after multiple withdrawals are poor. In this study, 22 patients without reported cognitive deficits and 20 control subjects performed extensive cognitive testing and a motor task assessing short-term memory. Patients displayed subtle deficits (mainly in executive function), while memory functions were relatively unimpaired. Our results suggest that subtle frontal-executive deficits may contribute to a poor prognosis, but could be missed by routine clinical tests., (© 2012 The British Psychological Society.)

Sonography has become widely used in the diagnosis of liver diseases. Fatty infiltration of the liver (adiposis hepatica), hepatic cirrhosis, cysts, metastases and tumors can be reliably diagnosed. A valid differentiation between benign and malignant new growths, however, can only be obtained by cytologic and histologic techniques. The lowest sensitivity can be expected in chronical benign diffuse diseases. Our results were compared with those in literature. Furthermore, other diagnostic approaches and procedures, e.g. fine needle biopsy and sclerotherapy in cysts, are recorded.

Rat liver microsomes were microencapsulated in a pure aqueous medium by means of a new technique. The wall of the microcapsules consists of a semipermeable simplex membrane which is stabilized mainly by electrostatic interactions between a polymeric polyanion (sodium cellulose sulphate) and a polymeric polycation (polydimethyldiallylammonium chloride). The metabolic as well as the mechanic parameters of the microcapsules could be markedly improved by separating the metabolic (liver microsomes) from the membrane component (sodium cellulose sulphate) in such a way that two distinct compartments are formed during the preparation of the microcapsules.

The results of the examinations do not depend on the peptic theory of the haemorrhage of the oesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis, since the relative frequency of reflux troubles and of gastrooesophageal reflux in patients with liver cirrhosis and haemorrhage of the oesophageal varices was not found greater than in patients with liver cirrhosis and oesophageal varices without haemorrhage as well as the combination of reflux oesophagitis and oesophageal varices was rarely to be observed in the endoscopic material.

Stain loading curves are analysed by discriminant analysis. In this multivariate statistical method, the stain concentrations measured in the blood at defined intervals after injection are regarded as measurement vectors.

The effectiveness of levamisole in the immunmodulatory treatment of chronic hepatitis was assessed in a multicentric double blind trial. Twenty patients received in the first week 50 mg, in the second 100 mg and thereafter 150 mg, levamisole on two days every week for 6 months, 20 others received a placebo. Five patients dropped out (non-compliance 1, pregnancy 1, adverse effects 3). The diagnoses were confirmed by clinical, biochemical immunological and histological data. After 6 months 26 subjects allowed us to take a control liver biopsy. The results showed that the rate of improved, unchanged and impaired cases was not significantly different in the levamisole and placebo groups. No correlation was found between etiology, activity or histological type of chronic hepatitis, skin test reactivity (DNCB, PPD, Streptokinase) and therapeutic effect, respectively. Clinical improvement was not associated with the elimination of HBs antigen. In general levamisole was well tolerated, but we saw one case of severe agranulocytosis.

Indocyaningreen (ICG) was given for the characterize of the excretion function of the liver during the course of normal pregnancy, sub partu and post partum. Studies were performed in 168 primi- and multigravidas with normal medical and obstetric histories (mean age of 23,5 years). 0,5 mg ICG/kg body mass were injected intravenously as a bolus. 18 healthy nonpregnant women served as controls (mean age of 24,2 years). In the I. and II. trimester of pregnancy the elimination of ICG was not decreased in comparison to the controls (3,64 +/- 0,86). The increased retention of ICG in the 40th week of pregnancy (4,67 +/- 0,41) and during labor (7,02 +/- 2,32) are caused through the physiological alterations of pregnancy. No placental transfer of the dye could be detected by simultaneous measurement of ICG in the maternal and fetal cord blood. During the post partum period the elimination of ICG will be normal. ICG is recommend instead of Bromsulfaleine (BSP) for the estimation of excretion function of the liver during pregnancy and childbed.

The most important requirement for satisfactory transperitoneal dialysis is faultless functioning of the Tenckhoff catheter. Suddenly occurring functional disturbances are often caused by wrong positioning and by envelopment of the catheter by tissue, which require surgical correction. A technique for successfully locating and replacing a transperitoneal catheter by means of an operation laparoscope is described.

Due to a slight haemooysis after the application of bromsulphalein an intravasal coagulation with reduction of the number of heparinocytes and an increase of fibrinolytic split products develops. These changes are to be observed in the vast majority of tests, also in such cases where no clinical signs of an incompatibility appear. Indocyanine-green does not cause these severe disturbances of coagulation. Slight changes are traced back to the examination technique. Patients with chronic liver disease already show increased values of fibrinolytic split products. In increased initial values of fibrinolytic split products bromsulphalein does not cause a further increase.

Liver function tests involving the use of Bromsulphalein can lead to hemolysis and consequent DIC. Latent forms can be detected by means of fibrinolytic degradation products and reduction in the number of leukocytes containing acid mucopolysaccharides of the heparin type, together with an increase in the total leukocyte count as a sign of stress. In comparisons between the bromsulphalein and indocyanine green tests, these parameters have sho4n that liver function tests using indocyanine green are harmless.

The purpose of the present paper was to investigate possible relationships between chronic liver diseases and marginal periodontal diseases, using clinical and radiographic methods as well as animal experiments. The periodontal conditions of 100 patients with histologically confirmed chronic hepatopathies were compared with those in a control group of same size. The results of these studies testify unequivocally to unfavourable conditions in the group of hepatopaths. This finding is corroborated and complemented by subsequent animal experiments. The difference in the extent and intensity of the periodontal alterations between a group of Wistar rats with experimentally induced hepatopathies and a control group was statistically significant. These results permit the conclusion that an aetiologic relation between chronic hepatopathies and marginal periodontal diseases may be assumed.

The effects of Ovosiston, Non-Ovlon, Anacyclin, Eugynon, and Deposiston, all oral hormonal contraceptives, on 75 women in fertile age and on the half-life of Ujoviridin (ICG - indocyanine green) were studied prior to treatment as well as late in the second, sixth, and twelfth cycles of treatment. ICG half-life was found to be extended in the adaptation phase only in response to Deposiston. ICG is recommended for time-related diagnosis of liver changes in women on hormonal contraceptives.

18 women were treated with Deposition (4th, 11th and 18th cycle day each 1 mg 17alpha-Ethynyl-3isopropylsulfonyloxy-Estradiol, 25th cycle day 10 mg norethisterone acetate). When these medicines were taken the activities of aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase and alpha-amylase, the contents cholesterol, total bilirubin and proteins of the serum and the paperelectric solution, TTT and indocyanine green half worth time. A little significant decrease of the activity of alaninamino-transferase (GPT) was to be stated. Whereas at the end of the 6th cycle the TTT as well as the contents of total proteins and albumin, showed a little significant decrease and the contents of alpha2-globulin, beta-globulin as well as cholesterol were statistically shown to grow. The indocyanine green elimation was longer at the end of the 6th cycle without any pathological worth from clinical point of view being proved.

20 fertile women who were treated with mestranol as oestrogen and both gestagenes chlormadinonacetate and norethisteronacetate were investigated. Alkaline phosphatase, ASAT, ALAT, alpha-amylase, cholesterol, bilirubin, serumproteins, indocyanine green half time, paper electrophoresis of serumproteins, thymol and zinc sulfate turbidity tests were examined during the first therapy cycle. Elevation of ALAT activity (6,3 I U/l to 12,14 u/l) was found during treatment with mestranol/chlormadinonacetate. A depression of ALAT (up to 5,34 u/l) was observed under additional therapy with gestagene chlormadinonacetate. Statistical significance was noted only for ALAT and alpha 1 globuline under sequential therapy with mestranol/norethisteronacetate.

The puncture of pancreatic pseudocysts with the help of ultrasound is an attempt of treatment without putting too much strain on the patient. In a number of cases a definitive emptying of cysts is successful so that a surgical intervention with application of an interior drainage can be avoided. Of 4 male patients of medium age treated 2 were successfully to be treated. The casuistics of one of the patients is reported. Under the point of view that a sonographically assisted intervention increases the security of the puncture therapy the complex of problems is outlined.

30 young healthy women were investigated during the first therapy cycle with ethinyl-estradiol-norethisterone acetate and ethinyl-estradiol-chlormadinone acetate as a sequential regime. The following laboratory data were achieved by each of the investigated group of young women: serum aminotransferase (GOT and GPT), serum alkaline phosphatase and alpha-amylase-activity in serum, serum proteins, serum cholesterol, serum bilirubin, serum ZST, serum TTT and the indocyaningreen-clearance of the liver. The serum protein pattern was determined by the paper electrophoretic method. A significant decrease of the aminotransferase GPT was viable during the sequential therapy with ethinyl-estradiol and norethisterone acetate. This viable decrease of the GPT was induced through the application of norethisterone acetate to estrogen. The alkaline phosphatase was significant lightly lower and the beta-globuline lightly elevated at the end of the therapy cycle. The sequential therapy with ethinyl-estradiol and chlormadinone acetate induced only a significant increase of the ZST in serum.

During the first cycle of treatment the influence of four forms of sequence therapy with mestranol and ethinyl estradiol as estrogen and the two gestagens chlormadinone acetate and norethisteron acetate in women at fertile age was examined for the aminotransferases (GOT and GPT), the activity of alkaline phosphatase and alpha-amylase, for the cholesterol, total bilirubin and total protein content of the serum and for the half-life period of indocyanine green. Under the application of mestranol/chlormadinon acetate an estrogen-induced increase of the activity of the alanine aminotransferase (GPT) from 6.38 units/l to 12.14 units/l may be established, after addition of the gestagen chlormadinon acetate a decrease to 5.34 units/l was to be established. Under the sequence therapy with mestranol/norethisteron acetate only an increase of the alpha1-globulin proportion was to be ascertained. All the other changes of the tested parameters including the half-life period of indocyanine green were not essential.