Ratings of Therapist Dynamic Activities and Alliance Early and Late in Psychotherapy.

The present study examines the concurrent and predictive relationships between therapist psychodynamic-interpersonal activity and therapist-rated alliance. Ratings from 45 patient and therapist dyads engaged in short term psychodynamic psychotherapy from a point early (3rd or 4th session) and late (the session at which 90% of the treatment was completed) in treatment were used. The results suggest that therapists who have positive views of the alliance early in treatment also have positive views of the alliance later in treatment. Therapists who used psychodynamic-interpersonal activities early in treatment also made use of psychodynamic-interpersonal activities later in treatment. Moreover, the use of psychodynamic-interpersonal activities early in treatment was positively related to both global and specific aspects of therapist-rated alliance late in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

XML data update management in XML-enabled database

With the increasing demand for a proper and efficient XML data storage, XML-Enabled Database (XEnDB) has emerged as one of the popular solutions. It claims to combine the pros and limit the cons of the traditional Database Management Systems (DBMS) and Native XML Database (NXD). In this paper, we focus on XML data update management in XEnDB. Our aim is to preserve the conceptual semantic constraints and to avoid inconsistencies in XML data during update operations. In this current era when XML data interchange mostly occurs in a commercial setting, it is highly critical that data exchanged be correct at all times, and hence data integrity in XML data is paramount. To achieve our goal, we firstly classify different constraints in XML documents. Secondly, we transform these constraints into XML Schema with embedded SQL annotations. Thirdly, we propose a generic update methodology that utilizes the proposed schema. We then implement the method in one of the current XEnDB products. Since XEnDB has a Relational Model as the underlying data model, our update method uses the SQL/XML as a standard language. Finally, we also analyze the processing performance.     

Implementing Information Systems: Some Practical Advice and a Richer Model

Recent research suggests that implementing information systems presents considerable difficulties and that many implementations are total or partial failures. This paper argues that what both practitioners and students require are richer and more acceptable models of information systems implementation. Accordingly, case study data concerning the introduction of manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) are used to illustrate five patterns of behaviour (rites) which capture important social actions; and four components of changing psychological orientation. It is argued that appreciation of the rites and psychological developments identified here will support effective change programmes. Guidelines based on our model are provided for practitioners.     

"Adolescent psychopathology: I. Prevalence and incidence of depression and other DSM-III—R disorders in high school students": Correction.

Reports an error in the original article by P. M. Lewinsohn et al ( Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1993[Feb], Vol 102[1], 133–244). On page 140, in the Total Incidence columns in Table 4, the data for the Attention Deficit row should be switched with that for the Conduct row. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1993-25780-001.) Data were collected on the point and lifetime prevalences, 1-yr incidence, and comorbidity of depression with other Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III-Revised (DSM-III-R) disorders in a randomly selected sample (n?=?1,710) of high school students at point of entry and at 1-yr follow-up (n?=?1,508). The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children was used to collect diagnostic information; 9.6% met criteria for a current disorder, more than 33% had experienced a disorder over their lifetimes, and 31.7% of the latter had experienced a 2nd disorder. High relapse rates were found for all disorders, especially for unipolar depression (18.4%) and substance use (15.0%). Female Ss had significantly higher rates at all age levels for unipolar depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and adjustment disorders; male Ss had higher rates of disruptive behavior disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dislocations in strained layers: The Ge-Si system

The Ge-Si on Si epilayer system, besides being an interesting technological system in its own right, is a superb model for strained-layer studies. The point defect and symmetry defect structures associated with compound semiconductors can be avoided, allowing a focus on the mechanics of the system. Dislocation sources, glide behavior, and performance effects have been examined for strained-layer systems. Surprises have appeared along the way, but these materials are now becoming characterized well enough for industrial device applications.     

Characterization of solid state array cameras for the mid-IR

We present a characterization of some processes affecting the performance of solid state array cameras designed for ground based astronomical imaging in the 8–13μm atmospheric window. Our discussion includes a novel model for electron-hole generationrecombination noise based on the probable pathlength of an electron in a photoconductor. We use the Berkeley mid-IR Array Camera as an example. For this camera, the results show that the total optical system composed of the camera, a 3m telescope, and the atmosphere has an efficiency of about 3%, a 1σ noise equivalent flux density of 25 mJy min^?1/2arcsec^?2 measured over a Δλ/λ=10% band width, and a noise equivalent expressed as the ambient temperature thermal black body noise of 23%.     

Low-dimensional modelling of dynamics via computer algebra

I describe a method, particularly suitable to implementation by computer algebra, for the derivation of low-dimensional models of dynamical systems. The method is systematic and is based upon centre manifold theory. Computer code for the algorithm is relatively simple, robust and flexible. The method is applied to two examples: one a straightforward pitchwork bifurcation, and one being the dynamics of thin fluid films.     

What influences patients' reports of three aspects of hospital services?

OBJECTIVES: Market forces make it essential to know what policies and actions influence patients' reports of hospital services. No studies have examined the role of patient characteristics, labor quality and staff characteristics, nonlabor resources, managerial practices, and employee attitudes within a single investigation. METHODS: The authors collected, simultaneously, data about labor, management and service processes, nonlabor resources, and employee attitudes on 117 nonintensive medical-surgical inpatient units in 17 hospitals selected from a pool of 69 institutions within a metropolitan area by a stratified random sample. Of the 2,595 patients who agreed to participate, 2,051 (79%) completed telephone interviews regarding their experiences with physical care, education, and pain management services within 26 days of hospital discharge. RESULTS: A significant amount of variation in patients' service reports was explained (adjusted R2 = 0.41 physical care, 0.35 pain management, 0.44 education). Although the predictors varied for each service report, patient characteristics, especially those related to personal resources, had a large explanatory role. A labor assignment pattern that could explain why earlier studies found labor quality and staff characteristics to have only a weak role in the prediction of patients' service reports was noted. CONCLUSIONS: The results related to patient characteristics may indicate opportunities to improve care by confronting service design strategies that erroneously rely on a homogeneous patient population. Measurement challenges identified by this study must be addressed to determine the role of labor quantity and staff characteristics.