Assessing positive and negative symptoms in children and adolescents.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of a new assessment instrument for positive and negative symptoms in severely disturbed children and adolescents (Kiddie-PANSS).

Method: The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for adult schizophrenia was modified through successive field trials on the basis of developmental characteristics of children and adolescents. The scale was then given to 34 inpatients (19 children, mean age = 9.

The role of immunotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Despite landmark advances in the molecular biology and surgical adjuvant therapy of colorectal cancer in the past decade, this illness remains a significant health hazard. Conventional therapies, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have had limited utility and have often resulted in unacceptable host toxicities. Therapies dependent on potentiation of the host immune response are attractive alternatives to conventional treatment because of their greater specificity and diminished toxicity.

Rubella virus and arthritis.

Rubella virus and the rubella virus vaccine are relatively common causes of acute arthralgias and occasionally objective arthritis. Rarely, chronic or relapsing joint syndromes may follow exposure to this virus or vaccine. This article will focus on the virus and its clinical illness.