Therapeutic alliance: Early indicators, course, and outcome.

Investigated therapeutic alliance (TA) for 32 outpatients (aged 20–57 yrs) in psychotherapy. Ss completed the SCL-90 (Revised) prior to and following 14–71 (median 29) psychotherapy sessions. Sessions were videotaped; a 15-min segment of each session was rated on the Therapeutic Alliance Rating Scale of C. R. Marmar et al (1985). Findings supported hypotheses that (1) Ss' positive and negative contributions to the TA in the 1st session would predict the maintenance of the TA throughout treatment and (2) among Ss who achieve significant change, positive contributions to the TA would be greater in the later phases of therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low current plasma effect optical switch on InP

Optical InP-GaInAsP directional coupler switches with a total length of 2 mm have been fabricated and operated by carrier injection. Switching is achieved at a very low injection current of 4 mA. For both switching states a crosstalk suppression exceeding 20 dB is obtained. In addition, the insertion loss estimated from the loss contributions of waveguides, bends and free carriers is as low as 1.3 dB.<>     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION OF DIMERS OF CATECHIN AND EPICATECHIN

A method of synthesis of ‘dimers’ of catechin and epicatechin is described which gives 50% yields of the pure substances. The structures of the products are confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance using ¹H and ¹³C resonances and by mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry using laser impact with (+) ions allows a rapid distinction to be made between the ‘dimers’ derived from catechin or epicatechin.     

Prediction of fatigue screw loosening in anterior spinal fixation using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry

STUDY DESIGN: A biomechanical study was performed to investigate a relation between the bone mineral density of the vertebral body and the number of loading cycles to induce fatigue loosening of an anterior vertebral screw. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the potential usefulness of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry of measuring bone mineral density of the vertebral body in predicting the fatigue loosening of th anterior vertebral screw. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Loosening of the vertebral body screw is a well know failure in spinal instrumentation, and more commonly observed than pullout failure. The relation between bone mineral density and pullout strength of the screw has been investigated previously, but no studies are available on the fatigue loosening in anterior spinal fixation. METHODS: Bone mineral density was measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and the screw loosening was produce by a cyclic loading in the cephalad-caudal direction. Screw loosening was defined as 1 mm displacement of the screw relative to bone, and the number of loading cycles to induce the screw loosening was obtained and statistically correlated with bone mineral density. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between the number of loading cycles to induce screw loosening and bone mineral density (R = 0.8, P < 0.01). The average number of loading cycles to induce screw loosening was significantly less for specimens with bone mineral density < 0.45 g/cm2 compared to those with bone mineral density > or = g/cm2. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that bone mineral density may be a good predictor of anterior vertebral screw loosening. Bone mineral density < 0.45 g/cm2 may be critical value of loosening of the anterior vertebral body screw. However, further biomechanical and clinical studies are required before using threshold value clinically.     

Full 1H NMR assignment of a 24-nucleotide RNA hairpin: application of the 1H 3D-NOE/2QC experiment

A mixed general linear model analysis of the development of sleep-wake states was conducted on 37 high-risk preterm infants and replicated with a second cohort of 34 infants. Most dependent variables showed significant development over the preterm period: active sleep decreased, and active waking, quiet waking, and the organization of active sleep and quiet sleep increased over the preterm period in both cohorts. The amount of quiet sleep also increased over age, but this change was significant only for Cohort 1. Seven infant characteristics used as covariates had only minor effects. There were no significant differences in the developmental trajectories (slopes) of the two cohorts. The amounts of four variables differed between cohorts: Cohort 2 infants had less sleep-wake transition, more active sleep, less active sleep without REM, and more regular quiet sleep. These findings suggest that developmental patterns of sleep wake states are stable enough in the preterm period that deviant individual patterns might be used to identify infants with neurological problems.     

99Tcm-MDP scintigraphy in high-voltage electrical burn patients

In high-voltage electrical burn injuries (> 1000 V), it is difficult to identify the site and extent of non-viable deep tissue damage for debridement to avoid further tissue injury from wound infection and the risk of sepsis. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of 99Tcm-methylene di-phosphonate (99Tcm-MDP) scintigraphy in detecting the extent of tissue injury and determining the level of amputation required for electrical burn patients. Over a 5 year period, 33 high-voltage electrical burn patients were studied. Blood flow and blood pool studies revealed absent perfusion in 37 limbs, all of which eventually were amputated. In addition to a routine three-phase bone scan, images were obtained at 30-60 min (early images) to evaluate whether soft tissue injury could be detected better at that time. For comparison of the detection rate from the early images and bone (delayed) images, 164 corresponding spot views of both images were reviewed. Eighty-three and 125 tissue necrotic lesions were demonstrated by the early images and bone images respectively. All of the 83 lesions found by the early images were more clearly identified by the bone images. All but one of the 125 lesions underwent surgical debridement or amputation. We concluded that the blood flow and blood pool images correlated well with the level of amputation required. The site and extent of tissue necrotic lesions can be clearly identified on 99Tcm-MDP bone scans. Because the early images were less sensitive in detecting tissue necrosis, we suggest that early imaging is not necessary.     

MITOM: a new unfolding code based on a spectra model method applied to neutron spectrometry

The MITOM code was developed at UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) for unfolding neutron spectrometric measurements with a Bonner spheres system (BSS). One of the main characteristics of this code is that an initial parameterisation of the neutron energy components (thermal, intermediate and fast) is needed. This code uses the Monte Carlo method and the Bayesian theorem to obtain a set of solutions achieving different criteria and conditions between calculated and measured count rates. The final solution is an average of the acceptable solutions. The MITOM code was tested for ISO sources and a good agreement was observed between the reference values and the unfolded ones for global magnitudes. The code was applied recently to characterise both thermal SIGMA and CANEL/T400 sources of the IRSN facilities. The results of these applications were very satisfactory as well.     

Functionalized carbon nanotubes are non-cytotoxic and preserve the functionality of primary immune cells

Carbon nanotubes are emerging as innovative tools in nanobiotechnology. However, their toxic effects on environment and health have become an issue of strong concern. In the present study, we address the impact of functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNTs) on cells of the immune system. We have prepared two types of f-CNTs, following the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction (f-CNTs 1 and 2) and the oxidation/amidation treatment (f-CNTs 3 and 4), respectively. We have found that both types of f-CNTs are uptaken by B and T lymphocytes as well as macrophages in vitro, without affecting cell viability. Subsequently, the functionality of the different cells was analyzed carefully. We discovered that f-CNT 1, which is highly water soluble, did not influence the functional activity of immunoregulatory cells. f-CNT 3, which instead possesses reduced solubility and forms mainly stable water suspensions, preserved lymphocytes' functionality while provoking secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by macrophages.     

Mechatronical considerations in modern motorcar generators

The generator in use today is the air-cooled claw pole generator. It is highly optimized and has nearly reached its technical limits. However, despite this optimization, the efficiency is not very high. Therefore new kinds of electrical power supplies must be researched. For this, a mechatronic power supply system-consisting of the electric generator with its mechanically accelerated masses and its electronic parts for control-is under development. The various aspects to be considered in the design are discussed, the different kinds of generator losses are summarised and analysed, and the PM excited generator is described. Results for a 3 kW rated generator are discussed