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Accepted on 03.05.2001. Code Number: ni03019 A 21-year-old male presented with sudden onset of right-sided third nerve paresis. Angiogram showed a fenestrated posterior communication artery on the right side and [...]

Objective: Violence in psychiatric wards results in serious consequences and there is need for research to assess it in various settings to enable improvements in safety within psychiatric facilities. This study aimed to assess the inpatient violence from victims' perspective, in settings where family members accompanied patients during inpatient stay and played a significant role in caregiving. Methods: A total of 100 consecutive incidents of inpatient violence were examined. Family members present at the time of the incident were interviewed to assess putative causes and behaviour prior to the incident. Results: Bipolar spectrum disorder was the most common diagnosis. Family members were the targets of violence in 70% of the incidents and 81% were provoked episodes. Also, 76% of the patients were identified by family member to be irritable just prior to the episode. As preventive measures, family members suggested a need for more staff, more sedation, and improved communication. Conclusions: The capability of family members to identify behaviour patterns of patients prior to the episode might help decrease the severity and consequence of violence. It is essential to provide culture- specific interventions to the family, which could enable them in handling violence and give better care for the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine aspects related to self-disclosure of their seropositive status among 68 persons (35 men and 33 women) infected with HIV. Data was collected through indepth interviews to assess ways in which HIV-related disclosure took place and factors that influenced disclosure. The data was subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Voluntary disclosure was noted in 44 subjects (65%), while in other 24 (35%) subjects disclosure occurred without consent. Of those who disclosed, 78% of the subjects reported self-disclosure to family members, 7% to friends and 15% exclusively to health professionals. Expectations of emotional and material support from the family members were one of the commonly cited reasons for voluntary disclosure. Only half of the subjects disclosed complete and truthful information while in the rest, disclosure was partial or disguised as a less stigmatizing illness. Stigma, fear of discrimination, disgrace to family and self and futility were reported as the main reasons for non-disclosure. The majority of the subjects (73%) reported anticipation of negative societal reaction as the main concern following disclosure. In India, where HIV-related counselling services are still not freely available, there continue to be non-uniform practices related to confidentialiey and disclosure. The findings of this study are important in identifying cultural factors related to disclosure in HIV infection and highlight the need to examine the varying patterns and concerns related to disclosure among HIV-infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nondysraphic intramedullary lipomas of the spinal cord are rare lesions. They are most commonly seen in the second or third decade of life. Their occurrence in the pediatric age group is even rarer. Case Report: The authors describe a 14-month-old child who presented with delayed motor milestones involving the bilateral lower limbs. The child was unable to sit or stand. MRI revealed a dorsally located intramedullary lipoma extending from C7 to D12. The child underwent C7-L1 laminotomy and gross total excision of the lipoma. Postoperatively, the child improved neurologically and attained normal power in the bilateral lower limbs. Discussion: Very few cases of extensive intramedullary lipomas involving the dorsal cord have previously been reported. Only two cases of pediatric extensive dorsal lipomas have been mentioned to date. The authors describe successful surgical excision of a holodorsal intramedullary lipoma in a 14-month-old child. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first case being reported of a holodorsal intramedullary lipoma in the youngest patient. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]