The Guildford elbow joint

The Guildford Elbow Joint prosthesis uses a non-rigid hinge articulation combined with intra-medullary stems to replace the humero-ulnar joint. The metal-on-plastic articulating surfaces are designed to allow some subluxation and accessory movements while remaining self-centering and stable under load. The intra-medullary stems are shaped to provide a good fit in the curves shafts of the ulna and humerus and should provide good fixation without the removal of large amounts of bone. The prosthesis is fixed with acrylic cement. The design follows, where possible, the normal anatomy and function of the elbow. A correct operative technique is important, but the procedure shows no particular difficulties.     

Evaluation of the BCL-2 gene locus as a susceptibility locus linked to the clinical expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterised by the production of a large number of autoantibodies. It has been postulated that this may be the result of prolonged longevity of auto-reactive B cells due to defective regulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis). The proto-oncogene bcl-2 is involved in the control of apoptosis in immunocompetent cells, and its over-expression is noted in T and B cells from SLE patients. This study examined the genetic linkage between the bcl-2 gene locus and SLE susceptibility using the affected sib-pair method in SLE families. Seventeen caucasian multiplex families were evaluated. A polymorphic microsatellite marker closely linked to the bcl-2 gene on 18q21.3 was used to determine the bcl-2 genotype. We demonstrated that haplotype sharing among the affected sibling pairs was not statistically different from random (P > 0.5). This suggests that the bcl-2 gene locus does not confer a genetic susceptibility to SLE expression.     

Influence of vertical vibration on heart rate of pigs

Pigs with a body weight between 15 and 20 kg were vibrated in the vertical direction for 1 h at 2, 8, and 18 Hz, in combination with root mean square (RMS) acceleration magnitudes of 1 or 3 m/s2. Welfare and stress were quantified by comparing heart rate characteristics during a control period (2200 to 0600) before vibration exposure and during vibration (1000 to 1100). The level of maximum heart rate and number of ventricular ectopic beats during vibration at 2 and 8 Hz in combination with a RMS acceleration of 3 m/s2 indicated a larger fear response than at 1 m/s2. Isocomfort contours based on mean heart rate during vibration showed the greatest specific sensitivity of the pigs to vibration at a frequency of 8 and 18 Hz, especially in combination with a RMS acceleration of 3 m/s2. During transport, RMS acceleration should be less than 3 m/s2 to protect pigs' welfare. Pigs were more sensitive to acceleration than to frequencies within the range of treatments in this investigation. Although the response of the pigs in this experiment fit within the model concept for adult humans and for domestic fowl, changes in heart rate are dependent on body weight.     

Temporal and spatial specificity of PDGF alpha receptor promoter in transgenic mice

Aberrant expression of the platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGF alpha R) has been linked to developmental abnormalities in vertebrate models, and has been implicated in multiple disease states in humans. To identify cis-acting regulatory elements that dictate expression of this receptor, we generated transgenic mice bearing the reporter gene beta-galactosidase (lacZ) under the control of a 6-kb promoter sequence. Expression of lacZ was monitored throughout embryonic development, with special focus on nervous tissue, skeleton, and several organ systems wherein PDGF alpha R expression is thought to play a pivotal role. In several independent transgenic mouse strains, lacZ expression recapitulated predominant features of PDGF alpha R gene expression during mouse development. These results demonstrate that critical tissue-specific regulatory elements for PDGF alpha R expression are located within a 6-kb upstream region of the PDGF alpha R gene.     

Psychotherapy process-outcome correlations may be misleading.

A standard criterion for judging the value of a psychotherapy process component (e.g., reflection of feeling) is the degree to which it correlates with outcome measures. It is argued that this model overlooks wide variation in client requirements for particular process components and therapist responsiveness to those requirements. Any such responsiveness tends to attenuate (and may even reverse) the process–outcome correlation. Under optimum conditions, process components covary responsively with client requirements but not with outcomes. Deviations from optimum would not improve outcomes. Thus, for expertly conducted therapy, the expected correlation of process components with outcomes approaches zero, even for components that help to cause those outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlations of male college students' verbal response mode use in psychotherapy with measures of psychological disturbance and psychotherapy outcome.

Compared verbal response mode use by 31 male college student clients in 3 sessions of time-limited psychotherapy (selected from an average of 17.2 sessions) with measures of clients' psychological distress, disturbance, and change, which were gathered at intake, termination, and 1-yr follow-up as part of the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Project. Results show that (a) clients who were more distressed tended to use a higher percentage of Disclosures (revealing subjective information) and a lower percentage of Edifications (conveying objective information), perhaps reflecting greater preoccupation with inner troubles; and (b) clients who improved more were those who participated more, as measured by their estimated total number of utterances, a product of talking more in each session and remaining in therapy for more sessions; but (c) there was no relationship between clients' percentage of Disclosures and their improvement in psychotherapy, as hypothesized, even though percentage of Disclosures was correlated with process ratings of intrapsychic exploration. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Verbal exchange structure of brief psychodynamic-interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.

A verbal exchange is a set of 2 people's co-occurring speech-act categories that accomplish some subtask within an interpersonal encounter. Factor analysis of verbal response mode (speech act) frequencies in 1,630 segments (each approximately 10 to 12 min) drawn from the brief psychodynamic-interpersonal or cognitive-behavioral treatment of 39 mainly depressed clients identified 6 exchanges in each treatment—4 that were the same in both treatments (Revealing, Storytelling, Explaining, and Inquiring) and 2 that distinguished each treatment (Exploring and Interpreting in psychodynamic–interpersonal treatment; Prescribing and Reframing in cognitive–behavioral treatment). The exchanges showed distinctive temporal patterns across segments of sessions and across sessions of each time-limited treatment. The verbal exchange is a midsize concept that links atomistic verbal codes with clinical or theoretical concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some intentions are observable.

In discussing the relation of therapist intentions to verbal response modes (VRMs), Hill and O'Grady (1985) confused two senses of the term intention—(a) the private purpose of an intervention and (b) the meaning of the utterance, which is on record in the sense that the speaker accepts responsibility for saying it. Hill and O'Grady's list of intentions contained purposes, and they correctly pointed out that researchers' most direct access to these is by the speaker's self-report. VRM codes concern intended meaning, which goes beyond grammatical structure or literal meaning. Nevertheless, VRM codes reflect a level of communication that is intrinsically public in the following sense: The coder is in the same logical position as the communication's intended audience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)