A qualitative analysis of client perceptions of the effects of helpful therapist self-disclosure in long-term therapy.

Thirteen adult psychotherapy clients currently in long-term therapy were interviewed twice, with semistructured protocols, about their experiences with helpful instances of therapist self-disclosure. Data were analyzed with a qualitative methodology. Results indicated that helpful therapist self-disclosures (a) occurred when these clients were discussing important personal issues, (b) were perceived as being intended by therapists to normalize or reassure the clients, and (c) consisted of a disclosure of personal nonimmediate information about the therapists. The therapist self-disclosures resulted in positive consequences for these clients that included insight or a new perspective from which to make changes, an improved or more equalized therapeutic relationship, normalization, and reassurance. Implications for psychotherapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimally Toothed Apertures for Reduced Diffraction

We model diffraction errors found when using toothed apertures [L. P. Boivin, Reduction of diffraction errors in radiometry by means of toothed apertures, Appl. Opt. 17, 3323–3328 (1978)]. Using toothed (cf. circular) apertures minimizes diffraction by inducing destructive interference within the diffracted signal. Since diffraction effects can be quite complicated, their over-all reduction may help limit uncertainties in, say calibrations. Our analysis yields three principles to guide design of nonlimiting (baffle) apertures which minimize diffrac tion. We performed detailed diffraction calculations within scalar (Kirchoff) diffraction theory, using parallel-computing resources at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.     

Therapist session intentions in cognitive–behavioral and psychodynamic–interpersonal psychotherapy.

Theories of psychotherapy are implemented by therapists' intentional actions within sessions. This study examined the structure and construct validity of the Therapist Session Intentions (TSI) form. Ten therapists rated their therapeutic intentions following each of 2,305 therapy sessions of cognitive–behavioral or psychodynamic–interpersonal therapy in the Second Sheffield Psychotherapy Project. Seven conceptually coherent clusters of intentions, or therapeutic foci, were identified: treatment context, session structure, affect, obstacles, encouraging change, behavior, and cognition-insight. Contrasting patterns of therapeutic focus across treatments and changes in focus across sessions within treatments appeared conceptually coherent. Correlations across a subsample of sessions confirmed correspondences of the TSI foci with dimensions found previously in observers' ratings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

High-impact polystyrene. II. Physical properties and elastomer content in the latex-suspension method

The latex-suspension technique is used to prepare a family of rubber-modified polystyrene resins possessing high-impact resistance (Izod ca. 1.5 ft-lb/in.), high gloss, high heat distortion temperature, and high tensile properties. Data are presented on the preparation of medium- and low-impact grades by physical blending with crystal polystyrene and on the preparation of ultrahigh-impact polystyrene (Izod ca. 3.5 to 6) through the incorporation of high concentrations of rubber made feasible by the latexsuspension process.     

Cognitive behavior modification and modeling for test anxiety.

11 male and 37 female test-anxious undergraduates were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental or 2 control conditions: (a) a core treatment, which consisted of D. H. Meichenbaum's (1972) cognitive behavior modification and study skills training, (b) the core treatment plus videotaped modeling, (c) the core treatment plus rehearsal modeling, (d) study skills control, and (e) waiting list control. On self-report measures, treated groups improved more than controls, with the rehearsal modeling condition ranking first among the treatments. No treatment led to significant improvement in academic performance, a finding consistent with the majority of test anxiety studies which have used grades as a dependent variable. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Color-name interference at different times of day.

Conducted 2 experiments on the effect of different work shifts on efficiency by testing an aspect of the performance of nonshift workers at several different times of day. A pencil-and-paper, choice-reaction time modification of the Stroop Color-Word Test was used to measure performance. In Exp I, 14 16-50 yr old housewives and workers were tested at 8 AM and 16 Ss were tested at 6 pm. In Exp II, a single group of 12 college students was tested, within a period of 24 hrs, at 8 AM, noon, 8 PM, and midnight. In both experiments, color interference was greater in the early evening than in the morning. Results are attributed to covariation of color interference with diurnal variation in arousal and have implications for the choice of work shift and distribution of work during the shift period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Circumvention of immunity to the adenovirus major coat protein hexon

Immunity to adenoviruses is an important hurdle to be overcome for successful gene therapy. The presence of antibodies to the capsid proteins prevents efficacious adenovirus vector administration in vivo. We tested whether immunity to a particular serotype of adenovirus (Ad5) may be overcome with a vector that encodes the hexon sequences from a different adenovirus serotype (Ad12). We successfully constructed an adenovirus vector with a chimeric Ad5-Ad12 hexon which was not neutralized by plasma from C57BL/6 mice immunized with Ad5. The vector was also capable of transducing the livers of C57BL/6 mice previously immunized with Ad5.     

Age-dependent deficits in spatial memory are related to impaired hippocampal kindling.

21 3-mo-old and 25 26-mo-old Fischer 334 rats were tested in an 8-arm maze in a behavioral assessment of spatial memory (SM) before undergoing hippocampal kindling (HK) to examine alterations in neuronal plasticity as a function of aging. Results indicate a positive relation between maze performance and speed of HK and that SM was poorer and HK slower in 26-mo-olds than in 3-mo-olds. Age-related deficits in SM and HK may reflect decreased efficacy of synaptic transmission in a common neuroanatomical substrate. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A preliminary study of the nature of infection and immunity in chickens given an attenuated line of Eimeria acervulina

The Houghton (H) strain of Eimeria acervulina was attenuated by serial passage through chickens of the first oocysts produced during infection. This selection pressure resulted in a reduction in the pre-patent period of the parasite, shown to be due to the selection of a line predominantly with only 3 instead of 4 generations of schizonts. The precocious line had a reproductive potential much lower than that of the parent strain and it was significantly less pathogenic. Chickens given oocysts of the precocious line were almost completely immune to challenge with the Houghton strain.