[Novel psychoactive substance users' highly valenced life story episodes: A content analysis]

INTRODUCTION

Novel psychoactive substance use (NPS) has proven a challenge for the domestic addiction treatment system. In the first few years, studies focused on types of substances and prevalence. Recently social and cultu ral background, personality/identity issues and experiences of NPS users have been thematised in scientific studies. Our study is connected to the latter tradition.

METHODS

Our study comprised a questionnaire on sociodemographic factors, and a mixed method content analysis of highly valenced episodes of life interviews, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. We analysed the data obtained from 42 NPS users entering treatment. NPS use was confirmed by preceding drug tests. We used descriptive statistical methods to analyse questionnaire data, and employed paired-sample T-test to analyse the data from quanti tative content analysis. The text corpus (personal texts) of the Hungarian National Text Resources was selected as baseline to compare percentages. In our qualitative analysis, we outlined a conceptual network on high point and low point episodes of the life story.

RESULTS

Extreme poverty and deprivation was not characteristic of the current sample as a whole. Our content ana - lysis supported previous results on the highly self-destructive nature of novel psychoactive substance use. Major results of the content analysis of highly valenced low point texts were experiences of entrapment, failure, victimisation and never-ending troubles. The use of function words, especially in low point texts, bore marked resemblance with "negative code" frequencies, also indicating a self-destructive attitude. Parallel, elements related to inevitability have increased significantly, while words referring to defence (generalizations and distancing) decreased.

CONCLUSION

We interpret the results in terms of the arrested flight/cry of pain model. The results support and add to the conclusions of previous studies on the highly self-destructive nature of NPS-use and may introduce new aspects into treatment. The study is persuasive on the relevance of content analysis in clinical areas.

[The centenary of Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy's birth (1920-2007). The roots of contextual therapy]

Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, the founder of the contextual therapy was born on 19th May 1920. None of the psychotherapeutic models deal with the transgenerational relationships, nor do they address the issue of trustworthi - ness, relational obligations and consequences other than the contextual therapy. Its goal is the restoration and the prevention through strengthening the resources of care, concern and connection. This goal is accomplished by multi - directed partiality, which is one of the most important therapeutic attitude and dialogic methods. The paper addresses the significance of contextual approach and its historical antecedents.

Első lépés egy egységes szemlélet felé: az Alkohol Megvonási Skála bevezetése a hazai betegellátási gyakorlatba

Abstract:

Introduction and aim: The available literature and protocols have unequivocally suggested that the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol, Revised is a psychometric scale for identifying and following the signs of alcohol withdrawal. However, there has not been any validated tool for the identification of withdrawal symptoms in Hungarian general hospital settings. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity and the reliability of the Hungarian version of this scale among patients hospitalized with alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Method: The translation of the scale into Hungarian was done by ‘back translation’ method, followed by testing the face validity. The empirical phase was performed in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged. Patients admitted with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (n = 30) were recruited from the inpatient units of the clinic. Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol, Revised and Clinical Global Impression – Severity Scale were recorded every two days. Statistical comparisons of data were performed with repeated-measures ANOVA. Cronbach’s alpha, item-total correlation, convergent and discriminant validity were determined. Results: Significant decrease of the total scores of Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol, Revised and Clinical Global Impression – Severity Scale was observed between the six measurements (F = 202.46, p<0.001; F = 503.04, p<0.001). Cronbach alpha values were above 0.7 during the first 3 measurement days. The withdrawal and severity scores recorded the same day showed positively significant correlations (>0.45). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol, Revised is a reliable and valid psychometric tool for the detailed analysis of withdrawal symptoms in Hungarian general hospital settings. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(30): 1184–1192.

[Dissonance in addictology - The missed encounter between Laszlo Levendel and Thomas Szasz]

The starting point for this paper is a consideration of Jozsef Gerevich's seminal study of binarisms and dissonance in the field of drug treatment policies. Gerevich suggests the possibility of a synthesis of conflicting and divergent approaches. The present study focuses on some historical aspects of this polarisation or dichotomy, as it was exemplified in the contrasting life-works of two scholars of addictionology: Laszlo Levendel and Thomas Szasz. Levendel was one of the most important founding fathers of Hungarian drug treatment system, whilst the Hungarian descended Szasz is perhaps the most famous critic and opponent of addictionology. Born at the same time and growing up in the same city, they shared a generational experience of exclusion. Both initially focused on other medical specialties before developing their careers in the field of addiction. Their approach and methods were contradictory and became polarised. On the one hand Levendel practised an eclectic and inclusive "bricolage" approach to alcohol treatment policy, whilst on the other Szasz was committed to a critical and polemical perspective of "destructive creation". After the democratic transformation of Hungary, the two were about to meet, but Levendel's sudden death prevented this from happening. The lesson we should perhaps take from this fact is that "opportunity is fleeting" and should be taken whenever it occurs.

[E. M. Jellinek's silenced and silencing transgenerational story]

Jellinek is a kind of archetypal character for future generations in the field of addiction studies. His implosion in the arena of alcoholism around the age of 50 was an unexpected challenge to medical science. We know very little about his own role models giving an intellectual and moral compass to his pragmatic creativity. More than 30 years has passed since Jellinek's death when an American sociologist Ron Roizen started unearthing his silent story. Roizen discerned that there are a lot of unsaid and muted issues in his personal Hungarian past. Our paper, based on the authors' research in Hungarian archives and other sources reveals that not just Jellinek's personal but his transgenerational narrative has been not-yet-said. This silenced and silencing history appears an unfinished business of acculturation of the family, which started prior to four generations. Authors have been concluding that the issue of religious conversion is a critical point in the process of acculturation. They examine the counter move of loyalty to family values and driving force of assimilation making their story unspeakable.

The Main Factors of Repetition

Summary: The authors obtained more information about the characteristics of suicide attempters in order to examine the most important differences between those who attempted suicide for the first time (first-evers) and those who had a previous attempt (repeaters). Within the framework of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Suicidal Behaviour in Pecs Center, 1158 cases of parasuicide were collected over 4 years (July 1, 1997-June 30, 2001). In the monitoring sample, 728 (62.9%) parasuicide acts were committed by women and 430 (37.1%) by men, and more than half of the attempters had made a previous attempt. In the logistic regression model a higher risk of repetition was found to be related to being divorced (OR 1.84), unemployed or economically inactive (OR 1.45), and without higher education (OR 2.54). In the sample, mental disorders were the most significant risk factor for repeated attempts. The odds ratio was highest (OR 5) for personality disorders. The results may reflect (besides some factors of social destabilization) a higher importance of major mental health problems among repeaters. For this reason, more effective recognition and treatment of the underlying psychiatric and social conditions of suicide attempters has special importance to prevent future suicidal behaviour.

The main factors of repetition: review of some results of the Pecs Center in the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Suicidal Behaviour

The authors obtained more information about the characteristics of suicide attempters in order to examine the most important differences between those who attempted suicide for the first time (first-evers) and those who had a previous attempt (repeaters). Within the framework of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Suicidal Behaviour in Pecs Center, 1158 cases of parasuicide were collected over 4 years (July 1, 1997-June 30, 2001). In the monitoring sample, 728 (62.9%) parasuicide acts were committed by women and 430 (37.1%) by men, and more than half of the attempters had made a previous attempt In the logistic regression model a higher risk of repetition was found to be related to being divorced (OR 1.84), unemployed or economically inactive (OR 1.45), and without higher education (OR 2.54). In the sample, mental disorders were the most significant risk factor for repeated attempts. The odds ratio was highest (OR 5) for personality disorders. The results may reflect (besides some factors of social destabilization) a higher importance of major mental health problems among repeaters. For this reason, more effective recognition and treatment of the underlying psychiatric and social conditions of suicide attempters has special importance to prevent future suicidal behaviour.

Identification and characterization of the mre gene region of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

During a search for new differentiation factors in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), a locus at 11 o'clock on the S. coelicolor map was identified which harbours several genes that show extensive similarity to cell division and differentiation genes from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. From the sequence data it was concluded that the region contains the genes mireB, mreC, mreD (murein formation gene cluster E), pbp83 (high-molecular-weight penicillin-binding protein) and sfr (member of the spoVE/ftsW/rodA family). Mre gene products are reported to be responsible for determining cell shape in E. coli and Bacillus. The S. coelicolor mreC gene was inactivated by gene disruption, resulting in mutants which showed significant growth retardation in comparison to the wild type. Inactivation of the mreB gene was incompatible with viability, and thus mreB represents a Streptomyces cell division gene that is essential for survival. Promoter-probe experiments led to the identification of an operon structure, with promoters located upstream of mreB, pbp83 and sfr. Detailed studies of mreB transcription revealed the existence of three promoters; two of them are constitutively transcribed, whereas the third is developmentally regulated.

Improved electrophoretic separation and immunoblotting of beta-amyloid (A beta) peptides 1-40, 1-42, and 1-43

Beta-amyloid peptides (A beta peptides) form the main protein component of the amyloid deposits found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Soluble A beta peptides, which are proteolytic fragments of the amyloid-precursor protein (APP) are constitutively secreted by cells expressing APP during normal metabolism [1] and are also present in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid [2]. Missense mutations in Codon 717 of the APP gene are responsible for a small percentage of inherited AD cases (FAD) and increase the amount of A beta peptides containing additional carboxy terminal amino acids (A beta 1-42, A beta 1-43) [3, 4]. Recent findings indicate that FAD mutations in the presenilin 1 and 2 genes also increase the amount of these longer A beta peptides [5]. A beta 1-42 polymerizes more rapidly in vitro [6] than A beta 1-40 and has been identified as the major component of the brain amyloid deposits [7-9]. We recently developed a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) system [10] for the separation of these two peptides. Here we describe a modified version of the original SDS-PAGE procedure, which allows the separation of A beta 1-40, A beta 1-42, and A beta 1-43 for the first time. Detection of the three A beta peptides in the lower ng and pg range is realized by optimized silver staining or immunoblot procedures. These nonradioactive methods may validate results obtained by ELISA procedures used to study the metabolic fate of APP. They may help to define the neurotoxic potential of the longer A beta peptides in relation to their aggregation state.

Agents inducing high Mg2+-ATPase activity of isolated coupling factor 1 from spinach chloroplasts

Conditions are reported under which purified coupling factor 1 (CF1) from spinach chloroplasts exhibits Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity of about 120 mumoles/min/mg protein. It is shown that CF1, partially activated by treatment with heat and dithiothreitol (DTT), can be further activated by octyl glucoside. The Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity increases linearly as a function of the concentration of octyl glucoside from about 20 mumoles/min/mg protein in the absence of detergent to 120 mumoles/min/mg protein in the presence 15 mM octyl glucoside. This concentration is below the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the detergent, indicating that the monomeric form is responsible for the activation. Without treatment with heat and DTT, the Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity of CF1 is virtually zero, but can be stimulated by octyl glucoside. In this case, however, only concentrations around CMC give a substantial increase in activity (about 50 mumoles/min/mg at 28 mM octyl glucoside). Concentrations higher than CMC inhibit both latent and heat-activated CF1.

High-performance liquid chromatography of isopeptides

High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods are described for the structural analysis of clavicepamines, their analogues and branched-chain polypeptides, the analysis in synthetic stages of isopeptides (analysis of half-protected derivatives and purity control of active esters) and the differentiation between alpha- and iso-peptides (such as alpha- and gamma-glutamyl peptides). Pre-column derivatization was used to label the free amino groups for the structural investigation. Dansylated and hydrolysed isopeptides were analysed by HPLC methods based on isocratic separation of alpha-, epsilon- and bis-Dns-lysines using Hypersil, ODS-Hypersil and Partisil PAC columns. For the analysis of peptide active esters, an RP-HPLC method was developed, with methanol-acetonitrile-water mobile phases containing an acidic buffer. Peptides containing alpha-glutamyl residues were analysed for gamma-isomer content in the same system.

Supercoil induced S1 hypersensitive sites in the rat and human ribosomal RNA genes

Rat and human ribosomal RNA gene fragments in supercoiled plasmids were examined for S1 nuclease hypersensitivity. In the transcribed portion of genes the number and distribution of S1 sites were found to be species specific. No S1 sites were detected in the promoter regions. In the nontranscribed spacer (NTS), downstream of the 3' end of 28S RNA gene, S1 sites appear to be conserved in rat and human rDNAs. A rat NTS fragment (2987 nucleotides long), containing three S1 sites was sequenced and the S1 sites in this region were localized in polypyrimidine . polypurine simple repeat sequences. Other types of simple sequences, two type 2 Alu repeats and an ID sequence were also found in the sequenced region. The possible role of simple sequences and S1 sites in transcription and in recombination events of rDNA is discussed.

Temporal bone findings in cases of salt water drowning

The otologic literature contains no description of the histopathological features of temporal bones of persons who perished in drowning accidents. Three temporal bones from two fatal cases of drowning were studied in serial sections. Two temporal bones were from a man aged 31 years who collapsed after scuba diving and died three days later. One temporal bone was from a 32-year-old man, serving in the navy, who drove his car, probably accidentally, into the sea and drowned in it. Histopathological findings appeared to be similar in the two cases. Diffuse hemorrhage was evident throughout the middle ear and inner ear. The tympanic and round window membranes appeared to be intact although hemorrhage had occurred within the tissue layers of the membranes. This finding contrasts with observations of ruptured membranes by other investigators.

Penetration of the cochlear endost by the fibrous component of the otosclerotic focus

The role of the "third", "fibrous" component of the otosclerotic focus in penetrating and absorbing the cochlear endost is documented. An otosclerotic focus rich in fibrous-granulomatous component shows equal power as spongiotic or sclerotic components producing fragmentation resulting in rosary-formed absorption of the endost opening access to the soft-tissue containing regions of the cochlea.

The cochlear aqueduct: structural considerations

Perusing 170 series of temporal bone sections, the course of the aqueduct was found to be a spindle shape, based on numerous dilatations in the middle section. Ample space was offered for development of bony excrescences such as exostotic depositions and osteoma-like protrusions of all sizes. These added considerably to the difficulties of a free passage through the aqueduct.

Further observations on the vestibulo-dural channel

A channel between the vestibular aqueduct and the dura, corresponding in texture to the main aqueduct, has been observed in an un-negligible number of cases. All attempts to establish a connection between this phenomenon and a variety of clinical entities, among them Menière's disease, have so far been unsuccessful.

[Earstructures in one case of anencephalie (author's transl)]

According to the majority of cases under observation the following anomalies could be found: extended, separated or manifold developed crura of the stapes, reduction in the circular windings of the cochlea down to 1 1/2 with a normal development of Corti's organum, reduction of the nerve structures of the nervus cochlearis to a munimum and an open facial canal.

Temporal bone showing otosclerosis, paget's disease and adenocarcinoma

In a pair of temporal bones serial sectioning revealed widespread Paget's disease with otosclerosis on both sides and, at the right side, adenocarcinoma added. Stapedial fixation was produced on the right by otosclerosis, and on the left by Paget's disease. In the contest to reach the inner cochlear space, Paget was the winner on the left, where, at the tympanic scala, otosclerosis and Paget's disease almost met, while the immediately adjacent organ o Corti was uninvolved.

In vitro effect of transfer factor on active rosettes and leucocyte migration of patients with cancer

The in vitro effect of transfer factor (TF) and its obtained by gel filtration was studied on the active rosettes and leucocyte migration inhibition. TF and one fraction (IV) restored the reactivity of lymphocytes from tumour-bearing patients to tuberculin and Candida antigens in the leucocyte migration assay. TF and fraction IV was also found to enhance the number of active rosettes of tumour-bearing patients, whereas no such effect was observed on lymphocytes of patients with active SLE or controls.

Morquio's disease and the hearing organ

Histopathologic evidence offered by a case of Morquio's disease and observed in the hearing organ showed widespread collagen damage, possibly initiated by the general hemorrhageous tendency, while the family history bore evidence of a genetic source. The clinical manifestations comprise striking dwarfism, beaking of the lumbar spine, sternal bulging, flaring of the rib cage, falt vertebrae, marked osteoporosis, prominent joints, semi-crouching stance, short nose. Roentgenograms showed retarded ossification.

Anatomical observations on the distal extremity of the vestibular aqueduct

A hitherto unobserved channel was observed, opening from the bony vestibular aqueduct under the dura. The location was in the centre between the contact of the aqueduct with the bulbar wall and the entrance of the aqueduct into the saccus. No connection was found between this formation and the vascular channels leading into the aqueduct or with the 'paravestibular canaliculus'. Albeit some of the examples were taken from Menière cases no interpretation in this direction was attempted. Strategical location claims further consideration as to morphology and function.

Damage of skeletal muscle in rats by immunoglobulins. I. Pathophysiological data and lightmicroscopic observations

An experimental model of the autoimmune process was developed to study the pathophysiological and structural changes in immunomyopathies. Immune-sera derived from three muscle proteins--myofibril, myosin and actin--produced immunomyopathies for study. The pathophysiological data show that the general muscle efficiency began to decrease with the early stages of treatment and reflected a severe disorder to muscle function with the progression of time. Parallel changes were also observed by light microscopy.

Aural pathohistology in leukemia

Three clinical histories of leukemia are followed by their related histopathological findings, the latter through the sequence of hemorrhage, leukemic infiltration, organization to connective tissue, suppuration, formation of new bone, degeneration into cholesterol granuloma.