Chance encounters: Unintentional therapist disclosure.

Explores how chance encounters influence the interpersonal relationship for both patient and therapist. Both patient and therapist experiences of the therapist's subjectivity may become accessible and available for analysis. Such encounters may reveal aspects of the interpersonal matrix that were previously defended against. In the chance meeting, the patient has the opportunity to experience the therapist as a separate person or as an extension of the self, as an object available for idealization or devaluation, or as a subject in his or her own right. Likewise, the therapist has the opportunity to experience him- or herself in ways that may be either concordant or discordant with the interpersonal relationship in the consulting room, bringing into focus new aspects of the interpersonal matrix. Case material highlights the challenges created by unintentional disclosure, by exploring the therapist's anxiety about such experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flow cytometric analysis of platelet activation by different collagen types present in the vessel wall

The interaction of platelets with collagens of the vessel wall is a critical event in primary haemostasis. Although numerous studies have examined the ability of various collagen types to support platelet adhesion, little is known concerning the relative ability of different collagens to elicit specific activation markers in platelets. In this report, flow cytometric analysis has been utilized to evaluate the ability of various native collagen types to elicit secondary activation events in human platelets. Collagen types I, III, V and VI induced alpha-granule secretion and up-regulation of cell surface glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa. In contrast, collagen type IV did not elicit these responses in the concentration ranges examined. Dose-response curves for alpha-granule secretion induced by the various collagen types indicated that human type III and human type I collagens were less effective than human type V, human type VI and calf skin type I. In addition, the ability of these various collagens to activate GPIIb/IIIa to its ligand binding conformation was even more heterogenous with only human type VI and calf skin type I readily promoting this transition. These data demonstrate that flow cytometric analysis of collagen-induced platelet activation is feasible and that collagen-mediated alpha-granule secretion and membrane glycoprotein redistribution in human platelets are separate events from activation of GPIIb/IIIa.     

A Decentralized Approach to Estimate Activity-Based Costs and Near-Optimal Resource Allocation in Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) can apply the efficiencies of large-scale production to small batch production. The coordination of FMS activities is a complex task; this paper presents a decentralized pricing mechanism that can be used to estimate the activity–based costs and manage the activities of the FMS efficiently. The pricing mechanism described in this paper does not require systemwide information to compute prices; instead, the pricing mechanism samples and uses the demand information at each CNC machine to compute rental prices at that machine. We derive the theoretical formula for rental prices supporting the optimal performance and propose simulation studies to estimate the rental prices for real-time price changes in a decentralized manner. Results from a preliminary simulation study indicate that stable rental prices can be estimated and significant improvements can be realized by using the pricing mechanism.     

Why are predator urines aversive to prey?

Predator odors often repel prey species. In the present experiments, we investigated whether changes in the diet of a predator, the coyote (Canis latrans) would affect the repellency of its urine. Furthermore, because predator odors have a high sulfur content, reflecting large amounts of meat in the diet, we investigated the contribution of sulfurous odors to repellency. Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that diet composition and sulfurous metabolites of meat digestion are important for the repellency of predator odors to potential prey.     

Systematic 24-hr behavioral observations of sleep and wakefulness in a skilled-care nursing facility.

Sleep patterns of aged, infirm, demented, chronically institutionalized residents of a skilled-care nursing facility were studied. The purpose of this naturalistic study was to describe sleep and wakefulness (S/W) within the limits afforded by brief behavioral observations and to examine homeostasis and diurnal rhythmicity of S/W as a function of psychoactive drug intake. Observers noted S/W every 15 min, 24 hr a day for 10 days in 24 Ss. Results indicated substantial individual variation in daytime hours. Daily and weekly variation within Ss was minimal. Sleep was least likely near sunset. Ss on psychoactive drugs showed dampened diurnal variation in S/W rhythms. In Ss not on such drugs, there was a suggestion of homeostasis of S/W between sleep during the morning and evening hours. Results are discussed methodologically (viability of approach), theoretically (age-related change in sleep), and practically (potential treatments). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Viscoelastic properties of young and old human dermis: A proposed molecular mechanism for elastic energy storage in collagen and elastin

We have studied the strain‐rate dependency of the viscoelastic mechanical properties of human dermis from young (23‐year‐old) and old (87‐year‐old) donors using incremental stress–strain measurements. The elastic spring constant for elastic fibers was found to be strain‐rate and age dependent, whereas that for collagen was only age dependent. Fibril lengths were observed to decrease with increased strain rates and age for both elastic and collagen fibers; however, the large decrease in collagen fibril viscosity was hypothesized to be a result of thixotropy that results when neighboring collagen fibrils slide by each other. It is concluded that the elastic spring constant measured for elastic fibers may be higher than previously reported and is consistent with stretching of α‐helical segments of elastin into a more extended conformation during the initial part of the elastic stress–strain curve. The decrease in the elastic spring constant with increased age observed is consistent with disruption of the elastic fibers and loss of α‐helical structure. The pH dependency of the elastic modulus reported previously for collagen suggests that charge–charge interactions within and between collagen molecules are involved in energy storage during stretching. Elastic energy storage is consistent with the stretching of charged pairs located in flexible regions of the collagen molecule. Shear thinning, or thixotropy of skin, is hypothesized to reflect breakage of bonds that occur between collagen fibrils. It is hypothesized that both collagen and elastin are complex macromolecules that are hybrids of flexible and rigid regions. The flexible regions reversibly store elastic energy during stretching by breakage of secondary bonds. After stretching, the flexible regions become extended and transfer stress to the rigid regions of these molecules. This prevents premature mechanical failure of collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1978–1985, 2002     

Justification of computer-integrated manufacturing: some insightsinto the practice

Analysis of the literature demonstrates that justification is a major concern for organizations considering computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) and is a barrier to its implementation. The idea that justification is concerned with the two distinct elements of concept justification and equipment justification is introduced. The two types of justification are aimed at different parts of the organization and will contain different information, so it is logical to treat them separately. A questionnaire approach is outlined that is useful when gathering data for equipment justification. It allows more time for thought than is available when using an interviewing approach, and there is less risk of suggestion; also, a written and agreed-on document can be easily produced and referred to after implementation so that the achievement of benefits can be guided. An account is also given of the methodology developed and used for justification of equipment identified for the first stage of CIM development in company manufacturing products for the motor industry