Daily repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improves mood in depression

Converging evidence points to hypofunction of the left prefrontal cortex in depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) activates neurons near the surface of the brain. We questioned whether daily left prefrontal rTMS might improve mood in depressed subjects and report a pilot study of such treatment in six highly medication-resistant depressed inpatients. Depression scores significantly improved for the group as a whole (Hamilton Depression Scores decreased from 23.8 +/- 4.2 (s.d.) at baseline to 17.5 +/- 8.4 after treatment; t = 3.03, 5DF, p = 0.02, two-tailed paired t-test). Two subjects showed robust mood improvement which occurred progressively over the course of several weeks. In one subject, depression symptoms completely remitted for the first time in 3 years. Daily left prefrontal rTMS appears to be safe, well tolerated and may alleviate depression.     

Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to chicken immunoglobulin isotypes specifically detect turkey immunoglobulin isotypes

Turkey immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes IgG and IgM were isolated from blood and IgA was isolated from bile. Isolation was accomplished by gel filtration of the ammonium sulphate cut on Sephacryl S-200. Using immunoelectrophoresis and indirect ELISA, the cross-reactivity between antibodies, of monoclonal and polyclonal origin, specific for the Ig isotypes of chicken, and the purified turkey Ig isotypes was evaluated. Commercially available polyclonal antibodies, anti-chicken/IgA (alpha-chain specific, affinity purified), anti-chicken/IgG (Fc-fragment specific) and anti-chicken/IgM (mu-chain specific) showed an interspecies cross-reactivity with the corresponding turkey Ig isotypes. The monoclonal antibody (MAb) AV-G3 specifically detected turkey IgG, whereas MAb M1 reacted exclusively with turkey IgM. This panel of anti-immunoglobulins represents a useful tool for examining the humoral immune responses of turkeys.     

Texas dental hygienists benefits and satisfaction survey

The purpose of this study was to determine the satisfaction and fringe benefits of Texas dental hygienists and compare the data to a recent national study. A blind survey was forwarded to 5,294 active, licensed dental hygienists to obtain data for Texas. Responses were received from 2,172 dental hygienists, a 41 percent response rate. The greatest number of responses came from the larger cities in Texas: Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Fifty-eight percent of Texas hygienists receive paid vacation, 25 percent medical insurance, 37 percent sick pay, and 26 percent receive some type of retirement. Nationally, the figures are higher. The survey also sought to determine satisfaction levels. Most dental hygienists are satisfied with their salary (65%), their career (85%), and feel secure in their employment (92%), while only 46 percent are satisfied with benefits. The survey results are inconclusive for hygienists' in the state of Texas based on the 41 percent response rate. Practical information may assist employers in recruitment and retention of a dental hygienist into the practice.     

Teacher ratings of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: Factor structure and normative data.

Behavior rating scales are a primary method for screening and identifying children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The factorial structure and normative data of a teacher rating scale containing the 18 symptoms of ADHD were examined in this study. Factor analyses and assessment of differences in ADHD ratings across sex, age, and ethnic group were conducted with 4,009 children and adolescents who attended kindergarten through 12th grade in 31 U.S. school districts. Two factors (inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity) were derived, and normative data for a nationally representative sample were presented. Boys, younger children, and African Americans received higher ratings of ADHD symptoms. Limitations of this investigation and potential uses of this scale in clinical practice and research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faking and selection: Considering the use of personality from select-in and select-out perspectives.

The effects of faking on criterion-related validity and the quality of selection decisions are examined in the present study by combining the control of an experiment with the realism of an applicant setting. Participants completed an achievement motivation measure in either a control group or an incentive group and then completed a performance task. With respect to validity, greater prediction error was found in the incentive condition among those with scores at the high end of the predictor distribution. When selection ratios were small, those in the incentive condition were more likely to be selected and had lower mean performance than those in the control group. Implications for using personality assessments from select-in and select-out strategies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Salt Mixture and in vivo Digestibility of Groundnut Oil in Rats

Coefficient of true digestibility of refined groundnut oil in rats, fed a diet containing 4% Hawk and Oser's salt mixture which is stoichiometrically equivalent to Osborne-Mendel's salt mixture and which provides 473.4 mg calcium and 71.6 mg magnesium per 100 g diet was found to be 96.6. Corresponding figure with a similar diet but containing 2% salt mixture-351 of Hubbel et al. providing 434.2 mg calcium and 20.9 mg magnesium per 100 g diet was only 90.0. Higher digestibility of the oil with the Hawk-Oser's salt mixture was due to lesser excretion of soap (in the main) and neutral fat, compared to that obtained with the diet containing the other salt mixture. In Hawk and Oser's salt mixture, the sources of calcium are citrate, hydrogen phosphate and carbonate of calcium whereas in the other salt mixture, it is exclusively derived from calcium carbonate. It seems that source of calcium in a diet has profound effect on the digestibility of a fat.     

Clarifying and Extending the Construct of Adult Resilience.

In this article the author responds to comments made in this issue (see records 2005-03019-010; 2005-03019-011; 2005-03019-012; 2005-03019-013; and 2005-03019-014) responding to his original article entitled Loss, trauma, and human resilience: Have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? (see record 2004-10043-003). The author notes that in his original article he focused on three crucial points: Resilience among adults represents a distinct and empirically separable outcome trajectory from that normally associated with recovery from trauma; resilience is more prevalent than generally accepted in either the lay or professional literature; and there are multiple and sometimes unexpected factors that inform adult resilience. Owing to the brevity of the article, the author could only touch briefly on many of the more nuanced and complex issues suggested by the resilience construct; this left plenty of room for critique. Fortunately, the comments are generous and insightful and for the most part compatible with the driving goal of the article. As might be expected, of course, there were statements peppered throughout the comments that the author deemed worthy of rebuttal or correction. He considers four points that seemed to beg most urgently for response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decatungstate catalyst supported on silica and γ-alumina: Efficient photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohols

Four supported catalysts with the same tungsten loading were prepared by depositing decatungstate species W₁₀O⁴⁻₃₂, through wet impregnation, on the surface of γ-alumina and silica at different pH values. The prepared samples were characterized using BET measurements as well as XRD, UV–vis DR, and XP spectroscopies. Higher dispersion of W(VI) oxo-species was obtained in the silica-supported catalysts compared with the corresponding alumina-supported ones. Within the same support, the dispersion was higher when the impregnation pH is lower than the point of zero charge (pzc) of the support. The decatungstate anions were present mainly on the silica surface without any modification, whereas these underwent a partial depolymerization on their deposition on the γ-alumina surface. The extent of depolymerization was less in the sample prepared at pH above pzc. These findings were explained in terms of the mode of deposition of the W(VI) species from the solution onto the support surface. The photocatalytic activity of the aforementioned catalysts, concerning the photooxidation of 1-phenylethanol, depends on the fraction of the W₁₀O⁴⁻₃₂ supported species rather than on the W(VI) dispersion. Thus, extremely high conversions have been obtained over the silica-based catalysts and also over the γ-alumina-based catalyst prepared at relatively high pH. These catalysts also are very effective in the photooxidation of a series of secondary and primary benzyl alcohols, in which benzyl ketones and benzoic acids were formed as the only or major products, respectively. The easy separation of the solid catalyst from the reaction mixture, the high activity, selectivity, and stability as well as the retained activity in subsequent catalytic cycles, make these supported catalysts suitable for a small-scale synthesis. Based on product analysis and kinetic data on the heterogeneous oxidation of benzyl alcohols, we suggest that a hydrogen abstraction transfer (HAT) mechanism predominates with respect to an electron transfer (ET) one in these reactions.