Biofeedback-based behavioral treatment for chronic tinnitus: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

Many tinnitus sufferers believe that their tinnitus has an organic basis and thus seek medical rather than psychological treatments. Tinnitus has been found to be associated with negative appraisal, dysfunctional attention shift, and heightened psychophysiological arousal, so cognitive-behavioral interventions and biofeedback are commonly suggested as treatments. This study developed and investigated the efficacy of a biofeedback-based cognitive-behavioral treatment for tinnitus. In total, 130 tinnitus patients were randomly assigned to an intervention or a wait-list control group. Treatment consisted of 12 sessions of a biofeedback-based behavioral intervention over a 3-month period. Patients in the wait-list group participated in the treatment after the intervention group had completed the treatment. Results showed clear improvements regarding tinnitus annoyance, diary ratings of loudness, and feelings of controllability. Furthermore, changes in coping cognitions as well as changes in depressive symptoms were found. Improvements were maintained over a 6-month follow-up period in which medium-to-large effect sizes were observed. The treatment developed and investigated in this study is well accepted and leads to clear and stable improvements. Through demonstration of psychophysiological interrelationships, the treatment enables patients to change their somatic illness perceptions to a more psychosomatic point of view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of measures to mitigate mineral oil migration from recycled paper in food packaging

The presence of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food is a safety concern. Migration to food from recycled paper and board is a relevant source of MOSH and MOAH, and the potential of several technologies to reduce it was explored. These technologies were assessed for food safety (people), environment (planet) and economy (profit) in an integrated way, using a framework developed to compare the effect of the technologies with the current state of the art. Two mature technologies were evaluated (MB12 and flotation), two in development (supercritical CO₂ and thermal treatment), and two as a concept (anionic trash catchers and functionalized clays). The use of mineral-oil-free inks for printing newspapers was also evaluated. It was concluded that, although it is desirable to apply mineral-oil-free inks, in the short-term reduction technologies have more impact. All technologies of which the effectiveness could be investigated (MB12, flotation, supercritical CO₂ and thermal treatment) are able to reduce the potential migration of mineral oils by >70%, but none score optimally on all indicators. The MB12 technology shows the best overall performance and is ready for implementation, provided its patent will be available to more parties. Supercritical CO₂ performs best on food safety, but environmental and economic performance has to be improved. The developed assessment framework yields a clear overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies. Based on the assessment, recommendations are made to stakeholders, including the recycling industry, the ink and printing industry, the food industry and research institutes.     

行为理论——设计活动的通用方法

 对工程设计的实证研究指出了提高解决方案质量的步骤特征:机会策略;用脑思考和用手思考(画草图)相结合;对自己的成果进行提问式反思。这些步骤特征符合工作活动的思维调控理论的预测(“行为理论”)。     

A GENERIC TIME MANAGEMENT SERVICE FOR DISTRIBUTED MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS

Multi-agent systems are well suited for building large software systems. A great deal of these complex systems includes process flows that are concerned with time or are even time-critical. The activities of these process flows are often executed in distributed autonomous subsystems that have to be synchronized with respect to the superordinated task execution. To be able to build such systems and test their behavior adequately, it is often advantageous and sometimes necessary to simulate them in the run-up to their practical use. Testing and simulation of process flows within multi-agent systems requires synchronization of the participating agents with respect to the global simulation time. In this paper, a design proposal and a service implementation for time management is presented, which takes care of the special requirements imposed by multi-agent settings. This so-called time service is implemented as an FIPA-compliant agent, and can be used to couple heterogeneous subsystems implemented on different agent platforms.     

Total synthesis of tumor inhibiting didemnenone analogues

We have previously described an enantioselective total synthesis of the tumor inhibiting didemnenones 1a , b and 2 . Our investigations reported here shed light on the structure–activity relationships of these natural products. The significantly lower activity found for (3aS*, 6aS*)-3 [(E)-allyliden]-2-oxo-6a-(-hydroxymethyl)-2,3,3a,6a-tetrahydro-4H-cyclo-penta[b]furan]2(3H)-one ( 4 ) supported the hypothesis that the oxonium intermediate 3 is the active species. The strategy of the synthesis of the natural products was used to prepare acceptor substituted analogues (3aS*, 6aS*) [(E)-[3-(4-oxo-pent-2-(E)-enylidene]-6a-(4-hydroxymethyl)-2-methoxy-2,3,3a, 6a-tetrahydro[4H-cyclopenta[b]furan]-4-one ( 18 ) and (3aS*, 6aS*) [(E)-[3-(4-oxo-pent-2-(E)-enylidene]-6a-(4-hydroxymethyl)-2,3,3a,6a-tetrahydro-[4H-cyclopenta[b]furan]-2-(3H)-one ( 20 ). Although there were only moderate structural changes some of the key transformations differed remarkably in yield and general performance from those employed in the former synthesis. Optimization of the synthesis rewardingly led to compounds with increased biological activity against human gastric carcinoma cell-lines.     

Cocoa polyphenols are absorbed in Caco-2 cell model of intestinal epithelium

Cocoa is an abundant source of polyphenols, mainly flavan-3-ol monomers and polymers. In the literature, there are contradictory data on the absorption limit of procyanidins in humans. In our study, the Caco-2 cell model of intestinal epithelium was used to determine the absorption and secretion of cocoa flavan-3-ols. Three compounds: (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin and procyanidin B2 were detected and quantified at the receiver side of Caco-2 monolayer after 2h transport experiment. The obtained results of apparent permeability coefficient suggest paracellular route of transport of investigated compounds. Additionally, the results suggest that compounds of cocoa powder purified extract are able to affect tight junction functioning.     

Meta-analysis of biofeedback for tension-type headache: Efficacy, specificity, and treatment moderators.

The aims of the present meta-analysis were to investigate the short- and long-term efficacy, multidimensional outcome, and treatment moderators of biofeedback as a behavioral treatment option for tension-type headache. A literature search identified 74 outcome studies, of which 53 were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria. Meta-analytic integration resulted in a significant medium-to-large effect size (d = 0.73; 95% confidence interval = 0.61, 0.84) that proved stable over an average follow-up phase of 15 months. Biofeedback was more effective than headache monitoring, placebo, and relaxation therapies. The strongest improvements resulted for frequency of headache episodes. Further significant effects were observed for muscle tension, self-efficacy, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and analgesic medication. Moderator analyses revealed biofeedback in combination with relaxation to be the most effective treatment modality; effects were particularly large in children and adolescents. In intention-to-treat and publication-bias analyses, the consistency of these findings was demonstrated. It is concluded that biofeedback constitutes an evidence-based treatment option for tension-type headache. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flexibilität und thermodynamische Eigenschaften von Polyacrylaten,Polymethacrylaten und statistischen Acrylat/Methacrylat-Copolymeren 2. knäuelparameter

Flexibility and interaction parameters of the polymers have been calculated from the results of light-scattering and viscosity measurements with polyacrylates, polymethacrylates and random copolymers of methyl methacrylate with acrylates and n-butyl methacrylate. Only slight differences are found when the chain rigidity of polyacrylates is compared with that of polymethacrylates. There is however a clearcinfluence of the ester alkylgroup. With increasing size of the ester alcohol the polymer chain gets more rigid. In case of copolymers the chain flexibility does not result simply from the homopolymer values. The measured values don't reveal a systematic connection, moreover in case of copolymers there is a strong influence of solvents on the unperturbed dimensions. The repulsive powers occuring in the copolymer coil due to hetero-contacts have been characterized quantitatively. The graduaeion which was found coincides with compatibility tests of the corresponding homopolymers in a concentrated solution : the more intense the expansion of the copolymer coil caused by heterocontacts, the lower the concentration where a demixing of the homopolymers is observed.