Ego boundary impairment and thought disorder in frequent nightmare sufferers.

This investigation examined the proposed relationship between nightmare frequency and ego boundary impairment (Hartmann, 1984) in a sample of female college students. Thirty frequent nightmare sufferers (at least one attack per week) and 30 controls (maximum of one nightmare per year) were compared. In order to measure ego boundary impairment, the Rorschach inkblot test was administered and scored for barrier and penetration responses (Fisher & Cleveland, 1968) and indices of thought disorder (Blatt & Ritzler, 1974). An ego boundary questionnaire developed by Hartmann and colleagues (Hartmann, 1989; Hartmann et al., 1987) was also administered. Although barrier and penetration scores did not discriminate, the frequent-nightmare subjects demonstrated more disordered thinking on the Rorschach (p     

A nightmare for King Solomon: New reproductive technologies.

King Solomon had only two claimants for the baby whose fate he was to decide. With the new reproductive technologies, several people may assert claims to a child whose existence would have been impossible until only recently, and a mass of legal and ethical problems have been created that could barely have been envisioned even half a century ago. It can, for example, no longer be assumed that the woman who carries and gives birth to a baby is that child's biological mother. The legal claims threaten to turn a child into a piece of property rather than a human being with rights and needs. Existing statutes and competing religious or other perspectives, moreover, are not necessarily compatible with these new scientific realities, enlarging the spectrum of problems. This article reviews recent developments in reproductive technologies and some legal, ethical, and psychological issues that may be relevant in these circumstances. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hostility levels of lifetime nightmare sufferers: A test of a clinical hypothesis.

Examined the hostility levels of 12 nightmare sufferers, 12 ordinary dreamers, and 12 vivid dreamers (aged 20–35 yrs), as measured by the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the Rorschach. Nightmare dreamers did not have high hostility levels; rather, they scored between the other 2 groups. Ordinary dreamers demonstrated the highest levels of hostility. It is suggested that the occurrence of nightmares may reflect the individual's inability to protect the self from ordinary levels of hostility through a variety of symbolic and defensive transformations. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nightmare frequency versus nightmare distress: Relations to psychopathology and cognitive style.

The hypotheses that psychopathology is related to nightmare distress but not to nightmare frequency and that cognitive style is related to nightmare frequency were examined. The sample consisted of 85 Ss (58 women and 27 men) who completed several measures: a sleep and dream inventory, SCL-90—Revised, Fear Survey Schedule-II, Beck Depression Inventory, an abbreviated version of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Vividness of Visual Imagery, an absorption scale, a social desirability scale, and the Boundaries Questionnaire. The results strongly support the 1st hypothesis but only slightly the 2nd. Such findings underscore the need to differentiate nightmare frequency from suffering (waking distress associated with nightmares) and suggest that although frequency may be related to an intensification of dreaming process, suffering is related to waking emotional adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Provision of psychotherapy under managed health care: A growing crisis and national nightmare.

Managed care was intended to save money by eliminating unnecessary services. However, for both physical medicine and mental health care, it is easier to save money by simply cutting needed services. This is what is happening in managed care in the US today. However, data exist for arriving at reasonable procedures to provide real help and still be cost-conscious, a fact that is being ignored by managed care companies. The German national health system covers up to 300 sessions of psychotherapy if needed, but only 3% of their outpatient medical costs are used for such psychotherapy. Unfortunately, the American managed care systems aim at short-term cost savings, even if it means higher costs in the long run (or making patients go outside the managed care health plan for help or forgo getting psychological help at all). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of dementia on the sufferer and available treatment interventions: an overview

An overview of the psychological and behavioral consequences of dementia on sufferers is provided. Psychological interventions for improving the quality of life of patients, difficulties of diagnosis, the role of general practitioners, and th contribution of psychologists in the management of dementia are discussed.     

Is there an answer to the medical review policy nightmare?

Two cases are reported of patients who developed agranulocytosis after treatment with typical and atypical antipsychotics. The patients were successfully treated with olanzapine. We suggest the consideration of olanzapine as a safer treatment in patients who require immediate continuation of antipsychotic medication and have a prior history of classic and atypical neuroleptic-induced agranulocytosis.     

A possible explanation for the frequent failure to find cardiac orienting in the newborn infant.

When data from a previous paper [C. Gregg et al (1973) found heart rate acceleration in neonates presented with a moving stimulus] were reanalyzed it was found that heart rate acceleration only occurred on those trials in which the infants were also sucking on pacifiers. It is suggested that the confounding effects of sucking may also account for conflicting results reported in other literature on this subject. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining student responses to frequent bullying: A latent class approach.

Bullying is a major concern in schools, yet there has been limited research examining the ways in which students respond to frequent victimization by their peers. The current study explored whether there are discrete groups of children who display similar patterns of responses to frequent bullying. We also examined the associations between the patterns of responding, characteristics of the victimization (form, chronicity, and perpetration of bullying), and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Latent class analysis regarding response strategies was conducted on data from 4,312 frequently victimized middle and high school students. The results revealed 4 common patterns of responses, including passive/low, active/support-seeking, aggressive and an undifferentiated/high pattern. The patterns of responses were differentially related to internalizing and externalizing symptoms, such that the children with the undifferentiated/high pattern were most likely to experience social–emotional problems and were more likely to experience indirect forms of victimization. Implications for future research on interventions with victimized children are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Was Anna O.''s black snake hallucination a sleep paralysis nightmare? Dreams, memories, and trauma

Complex combinations of linear forces, moments, and couples are developed by the arch wire during orthodontic treatment. For instance, application of torque to a canine during distal driving may create force interactions if the tooth tips distally toward the extraction site. This investigation studied the effect of second-order couples and bracket angulations on the application of torque to a single tooth. By using a test apparatus to simulate application of torque to a single tooth, 0.016 x 0.022 inch stainless steel wires were tested in longitudinal torsion simultaneous to fixed amounts of second-order couples or fixed degrees of second-order bracket angulation. Application of a second-order couple through a bracket to a longitudinally twisted arch wire produces a third-order couple, since the bracket slot walls exert forces on the wire, tending to detwist it. This third-order couple will usually be small as the distance between the two couple members is short. Nevertheless, it may have a restraining effect on the third-order wire-bracket interaction. The results show that application of second-order couples or bracket angulations lead to an increase in exerted torque for angles of twist below 22 degrees. Because of torsional play, a wire twisted 18 degrees in a 0.018-inch bracket slot did not exert any torque unless it was subjected to a second-order couple. Thus, in an in vivo situation where forces interact, the actual torsional play may be substantially less than predicted from theoretical models only regarding third-order mechanics. The restraining effect of second-order couples tapered when the torque created by longitudinal twisting became much larger than the torque exerted by the second-order couple. Second-order couples of biologically acceptable magnitudes had little effect on the level of torque after the third-order clearance had been eliminated.     

Surgical therapy of frequent hand injuries. 1: Fractures and capsular ligament injuries

The hand is often involved in accidents and injuries. Most of these injuries can be treated adequately by the physician providing initial care. This paper gives the reader an outline of the most common hand injuries with the aim of facilitating recognition of the involvement of functional structures and thus ensure proper treatment or referral to the specialist. If a good functional results is to be achieved, misalignments in the longitudinal and transverse axes or torsional misalignments must be avoided. Fixation procedures facilitate provision of early-functional aftercare. In the event of injuries to the capsular ligament, a differentiation between complete and incomplete ruptures is of decisive importance for the further treatment.     

Most frequent ways of the collateral circulation in occlusive coronary artery disease

By comparison of the sectional area of the fetal head of the fronto-occipital level in the height of the biparietalic diameter and the cross sectional area of thorax in the level area of the ventrical it was tried to determine the exspected birth weight. A mean deviation of 8,9% was found. Below a birth weight of 2500 g the presented calculation is only valid to some extend as in these cases the dominance proved in fetal development grounds of the head of the fetus becomes apparent.     

Mapping the Characteristics of a 'Good' Play Therapist.

In this pilot study, concept mapping, a methodological approach combining qualitative and quantitative analytic strategies, was used to identify the therapist qualities, competencies, and skills necessary for effective play therapy outcomes as perceived by a sub-sample of 28 experienced play therapists who are members of the Association for Play Therapy (APT). The clusters associated with the therapeutic relationship and facilitative skills (e.g., empathy, warmth, and genuineness) were rated as the most essential skills to possess and also as the most difficult to develop. In contrast, the clusters associated with play therapy interventions and theories were rated as the least important skills to possess but as the easiest to acquire. The findings are discussed, with implications for therapeutic practice, research, and policy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

32MW机组经济跳闸的技术分析与处理

针对广钢热电厂32MW机组的“不明原因”跳闸，从保安系统的敢线路和液压油路上分析并列出可能引起机组跳闸的因素，采用逐项排除的方法，首先排除各种错误的电信号，其次重新整定了液压系统的各个压力开关，最后消除液压系统中伺服马达的内漏，经过这些处理后，消除了机组经常性的不明原因跳闸，保证了机组能在稳定、高效的条件下运行。     

Effect of frequent brief awakenings from nonREM sleep on the nonREM-REM sleep cycle

Sudden onset sensorineural deafness is an otological emergency; subsequent recovery of hearing has been shown to correlate with early treatment. There have been few documented reports of this occurring in pregnancy, although the increased thrombogenic risk of the pregnant state is a proposed aetiological factor. The wide variation in outcome is demonstrated by these two cases, which are presented to raise awareness of this condition.