Patient-therapist matching for prediction of optimal and minimal therapeutic outcome

Exp I (a) established outcome criteria using evaluation ratings from 24 patient-therapist dyads; (b) produced 11 quantifiable personality predictors through factor analysis of 18 therapists' and 65 patients' scores on a test battery (including the MMPI and the Omnibus Personality Inventory); (c) identified 3 typological categories of both patients and therapists homogeneous with respect to these variables and 2 groups of therapists each homogeneous with respect to therapeutic approach; and (d) derived 5 regression equations predicting outcome for each patient and therapist group. Exp II, with 24 therapists and 56 patients who were university students or their spouses, utilized these findings to form 2 experimental dyad groups for which (a) optimal or (b) minimal therapist outcome ratings were predicted, and 2 control groups each for both optimal and deterioration matches that controlled for patient type and therapist type, respectively. Results indicate significant differences between mean outcome in the comparison of the deterioration-matched group both with its control and the optimally matched group. Findings demonstrate the usefulness of carefully planned matching techniques. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimentally-induced osteoarthritis in guinea pigs: effect of surgical procedure and dietary intake of vitamin C

The effect of variation in dietary ascorbic acid on surgically induced osteoarthritis was examined in the stifle joints of guniea pigs. Two different surgical procedures were used to induce osteoarthritis in the right stifle joint of these animals. Guinea pigs were maintained either on a high (150 mg/day) or low (2.4 mg/day) dietary intake of vitamin C. Regardless of the surgical procedure used to induce osteoarthritis, the animals maintained on the high level of vitamin C consistently showed severe joint damage than animals on the low level of the vitamin.     

Effect of dietary zinc levels on health and productivity of gilts and sows through two parities

The influence of 0, 50, 500 or 5,000 ppm supplemental Zn on productive characteristics, weight change, and serum and organ mineral concentrations of 60 crossbred and purebred Yorkshire gilts was evaluated. Gilts were fed their respective treatment from 30 kg body weight until the completion of two parities. Sows fed 5,000 ppm supplemental Zn weighed significantly less than sows from the other treatments when killed. Serum alkaline phosphatase activity was higher for the sows fed the highest level of Zn in all replications at 10 and 14 mo of age than for sows from the other treatments. Sows fed 0, 50 or 500 ppm had lower serum Zn and higher serum Cu concentrations than sows fed 5,000 ppm Zn at 10 and 14 mo of age. The number of pigs farrowed (total and live) and birth weight were not affected by dam's dietary treatment. However, sows receiving no additional Zn had a higher number of abnormal pigs/litter than sows on the other treatments. Sows fed 5,000 ppm additional Zn weaned fewer pigs that weighed less at weaning than sows on the other treatments. The concentration of Zn in the sow's liver increased significantly and liver Cu decreased as dietary level of Zn increased. Sows receiving 5,000 ppm Zn had lower hepatic Fe stores compared with sows receiving 500 ppm Zn. Elevated renal Cu and Zn concentrations were found in sows fed the highest level of Zn supplementation. The Zn concentration was higher and the Cu concentration lower in the aorta of sows fed 5,000 ppm Zn compared with sows fed 0 or 50 ppm additional Zn. Incidence of osteochondrosis was higher in sows supplemented with 5,000 ppm Zn than for sows from the other treatments.