Outpatient group treatment of chronic pain: Effects of spouse involvement.

Evaluated the efficacy of outpatient group treatment of chronic pain and the effect of spouse involvement in treatment in chronic pain patients ranging in age from 23 to 69 yrs who were randomly assigned to couples group treatment (n?=?17), patient-only group treatment (n?=?14), or waiting-list controls (n?=?12). 29 Ss had low back pain; the remaining Ss reported pain in the knee, arm, leg, hip, head, and phantom limb. The Ss completed the MMPI—168 and measures of health-related psychosocial and physical dysfunction and marital satisfaction. Results indicate that the 16-hr cognitive-behavioral program produced reductions in pain, somatization, spouse-observed pain behavior, physical and psychosocial dysfunction, spouse-rated dysfunction, and utilization of health care resources. Depression was not affected by treatment. Spouse involvement did not facilitate response to treatment on any variables. Also, Ss in the individual condition only showed improved marital satisfaction. All treatment gains were maintained at 3-mo to 7-mo follow-ups. Results indicate that brief outpatient treatment can significantly ameliorate chronic pain problems, and spouse involvement is not essential for a positive response to treatment. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Creating profit with computers: my life as CEO of Bonner & Moore Associates

When Bonner & Moore was formed in 1956, few-if any-other firms were offering computer consulting services to private industry. Over the years, Bonner & Moore's software development and computer modeling projects took the company far and wide, from Texas oil refineries to the other side of the globe. Its computer services created a solid financial success.     

Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Pool Dissolution as a Function of Average Pore Water Velocity

Bench-scale reactor experiments were performed to study the dissolution of a binary naphthalene-in-nonane mixture nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pool over a wide range of average pore water velocities, vx (≈0.1–60 m/day). Experimental NAPL pool dissolution flux values were determined using a steady-state mass balance approach. The experimental flux data were compared to model predictions made assuming either local equilibrium or mass-transfer limited conditions. The local equilibrium model could describe the trends in the average effluent concentration and dissolution flux with 0.110?m/day. Data determined to be under mass-transfer limited conditions were fit to the nonequilibrium model to estimate values for an overall mass-transfer coefficient. The calculated overall mass-transfer coefficients had an average value of 0.407 m/day and showed no correlation with vx, probably due to mass-transfer resistance becoming dominated by the diffusional resistance in the NAPL. These results suggest that the nonequilibrium approach is better suited for describing high velocity (vx>10?m/day) dissolution of multicomponent NAPL pools, and that flushing of groundwater at very high velocities may not be an effective approach for enhancing NAPL-pool dissolution flux.     

Evidence for glaucoma-induced horizontal cell alterations in the human retina

In this study we investigated changes to horizontal cells in human retinae affected by glaucoma. Glaucoma is characterized by raised intraocular pressure and is responsible for retinal ganglion cell and, possibly, photoreceptor degeneration. It was therefore assumed that horizontal cells might also be affected. The carbocyanine dye DiI was placed at discrete points on fixed, whole-mounted retinae obtained from normal and glaucomatous patients. After allowing 6-24 weeks for intramembranous diffusion within the lipid layers of the nerve cells and, therefore, fluorescent labeling, we measured horizontal cell soma and dendritic field sizes. Selected cells were then embedded in Araldite and cut at 4 microns. Horizontal cells in glaucomatous eyes appeared larger and had a granulated outline as compared with cells from normal retinae. Analysis of the mean cell soma size indicated that cells were 26% larger in the glaucomatous retinae and that this increase was significantly different from that seen in normal retinae (P < 0.05). The dendritic field size was unaffected (P > 0.05). As seen in cross section there was a clear loss of photoreceptor outer segments, and shrunken silhouettes of photoreceptor inner segments with pyknotic nuclei were observed. It is proposed that the increase in some size is indicative of horizontal cell responses that are likely to culminate in degeneration as a result of heightened intraocular pressure. In addition, this paper provides further evidence that photoreceptors are affected by advanced glaucoma.     

Effect of profound hearing loss on a central auditory nucleus

The present study was designed to investigate the type and extent of degeneration occurring in the human central auditory system subsequent to profound hearing loss. The authors have examined the size of one population of neurons in the ventral cochlear nucleus in seven subjects with profound hearing loss (audiometric responses poorer than 90-100 dB HL). Six normal subjects, ages 35-78, were used as controls. Cell size in the hearing-impaired subjects ranged from normal to reduced by more than 50 percent. Two factors appear to contribute to the variability in cell size reduction. The correlation coefficient (Spearman rs) of cell size with duration of profound deafness was -0.48, indicating a moderate tendency for neurons to become smaller with longer periods of deafness. The correlation coefficient of cell size with number of surviving cochlear ganglion cells was 0.73, indicating a stronger tendency for neurons to be larger with greater eighth nerve innervation of the cochlear nucleus. Two cases of Scheibe degeneration showed the most severe degenerative change in the central auditory system.     

Clonidine therapy for comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder: preliminary findings in a children's inpatient unit

This retrospective study examined the clinical course of 18 prepubertal boys (aged 6 to 12) who had dual diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder and who received clonidine on an inpatient basis after failed trials of conventional drug therapy, consisting predominantly of psychostimulants. The effects of clonidine were assessed during inpatient treatment and after discharge at intervals of 1 to 2 months. Eleven (61%) of the children had marked improvement as measured by clinical impression. Transient sedation lasting 2 to 3 days occurred after initial administration or dosage increase; otherwise, clonidine was well tolerated. Our findings suggest that clonidine may prove to be an alternative treatment of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder.     

Physiological regulation of early and late stages of megakaryocytopoiesis by thrombopoietin

Thrombopoietin (TPO) has recently been cloned and shown to regulate megakaryocyte and platelet production by activating the cytokine receptor c-mpl. To determine whether TPO is the only ligand for c-mpl and the major regulator of megakaryocytopoiesis, TPO deficient mice were generated by gene targeting. TPO-/- mice have a >80% decrease in their platelets and megakaryocytes but have normal levels of all the other hematopoietic cell types. A gene dosage effect observed in heterozygous mice suggests that the TPO gene is constitutively expressed and that the circulating TPO level is directly regulated by the platelet mass. Bone marrow from TPO-/- mice have decreased numbers of megakaryocyte-committed progenitors as well as lower ploidy in the megakaryocytes that are present. These results demonstrate that TPO alone is the major physiological regulator of both proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells into mature megakaryocytes but that TPO is not critical to the final step of platelet production.