Addition of Synthetic Biomaterials to Deproteinized Bovine Bone Mineral (DBBM) for Bone Augmentation—A Preclinical In Vivo Study

(1) Aim: To investigate the effect of synthetic bone substitutes, α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) or bi-layered biphasic calcium-phosphate (BBCP) combined with deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM), on bone formation. (2) Methods: Thirty critical size defects were randomly treated with the following five different treatment modalities: (1) negative control (NC, empty), (2) DBBM, (3) α-TCP + DBBM (1:1), (4) BBCP 3%HA/97%α-TCP + DBBM (1:1), and (5) BBCP 6%HA/94%α-TCP + DBBM (1:1). The samples, at four weeks post-surgery, were investigated by micro-CT and histological analysis. (3) Results: A similar level of new bone formation was demonstrated in the DBBM with α-TCP bone substitute groups when compared to the negative control by histomorphometry. DBBM alone showed significantly lower new bone area than the negative control (p = 0.0252). In contrast to DBBM, the micro-CT analysis revealed resorption of the α-TCP + DBBM, BBCP 3%HA/97%α-TCP + DBBM and BBCP 6%HA/94%α-TCP + DBBM, as evidenced by a decrease of material density (p = 0.0083, p = 0.0050 and p = 0.0191, respectively), without changing their volume. (4) Conclusions: New bone formation was evident in all defects augmented with biomaterials, proving the osteoconductive properties of the tested material combinations. There was little impact of the HA coating degree on α-TCP in bone augmentation potential and material resorption for four weeks when mixed with DBBM.     

A rejoinder to "Psychotherapy research ethics: Continuing the debate on controlled clinical trials."

Responds to C. A. Heflinger's (1987) critique of the present authors (1986) by reiterating their concern for the principle of autonomy. The present authors note that all patients were fully informed about the research plan and their right to withdraw. Nonetheless, the ethical criticism offered by Heflinger regarding randomization cannot be entirely dismissed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist empathy, genuineness, and warmth and patient therapeutic outcome.

A study aimed at cross-validating previous research suggesting that the levels of the therapist's accurate empathy, nonpossessive warmth, and genuineness were causally related to the degree of patient improvement or deterioration. An equal number of "good" or "poor" therapy prospects were randomly assigned to 4 resident psychiatrists (10 patients each) for 4 mo. of psychotherapy. Results tended to confirm the importance of the 3 therapeutic conditions in combination and of empathy and genuineness separately. Negative findings for separate analysis of therapist's warmth were interpreted in terms of its negative correlation with empathy and genuineness in the present sample. On the overall measure for all patients, therapists providing high therapeutic conditions had 90% patient improvement while those providing lower conditions had 50% improvement. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist competence ratings in relation to clinical outcome in cognitive therapy of depression.

This study reports on the relationship of therapist competence to the outcome of cognitive-behavioral treatment in the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program. Outpatients suffering from major depressive disorder were treated by cognitive-behavioral therapists at each of 3 U.S. sites using a format of 20 sessions in 16 weeks. Findings provide some support for the relationship of therapist competence (as measured by the Cognitive Therapy Scale) to reduction of depressive symptomatology when controlling for therapist adherence and facilitative conditions. The results are, however, not as strong or consistent as expected. The component of competence that was most highly related to outcome is a factor that reflects the therapist's ability to structure the treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Periodontal Regeneration Using a Porous Collagen Scaffold

(1) Aim: To immunohistochemically evaluate the effect of a volume-stable collagen scaffold (VCMX) on periodontal regeneration. (2) Methods: In eight beagle dogs, acute two-wall intrabony defects were treated with open flap debridement either with VCMX (test) or without (control). After 12 weeks, eight defects out of four animals were processed for paraffin histology and immunohistochemistry. (3) Results: All defects (four test + four control) revealed periodontal regeneration with cementum and bone formation. VCMX remnants were integrated in bone, periodontal ligament (PDL), and cementum. No differences in immunohistochemical labeling patterns were observed between test and control sites. New bone and cementum were labeled for bone sialoprotein, while the regenerated PDL was labeled for periostin and collagen type 1. Cytokeratin-positive epithelial cell rests of Malassez were detected in 50% of the defects. The regenerated PDL demonstrated a larger blood vessel area at the test (14.48% ± 3.52%) than at control sites (8.04% ± 1.85%, p = 0.0007). The number of blood vessels was higher in the regenerated PDL (test + control) compared to the pristine one (p = 0.012). The cell proliferative index was not statistically significantly different in pristine and regenerated PDL. (4) Conclusions: The data suggest a positive effect of VCMX on angiogenesis and an equally high cell turnover in the regenerated and pristine PDL. This VCMX supported periodontal regeneration in intrabony defects.     

The role of the supervisor and the pregnant analyst.

Presents 3 case examples to illustrate the author's experience as supervisor of 3 pregnant therapists. The supervisor of an analyst in special circumstances may need to function in ways that are out of the ordinary to help the supervisee cope with the added stress set off by a special event. The pregnant therapist may require a supervisor to assist actively in identifying obstacles to self-awareness that can occur due to the heightened stress and psychological vulnerability experienced during this personal life crisis. The supervisor can play an important role in increasing the supervisee's awareness of obstacles in herself that may threaten the analytic process and of commonly occurring patient reactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

When practice makes imperfect: Debilitating effects of overlearning.

Hypothesized that as overlearning leads to "mindlessness," the individual components of a task become relatively inaccessible to consciousness and therefore unavailable to serve as evidence of task competence. This may lead to a decrement in performance if circumstances (e.g., a label connoting relative inferiority) lead one to question one's ability. This was tested in an experiment with 126 adult females by varying practice on a task (no practice, moderate practice, and overpractice) by label assigned to Ss (no label, assistant, boss). As predicted, performance decrements resulted for the no-practice and overpracticed Ss who were assigned the inferior status level but not for the moderate-practice Ss for whom the task components were still salient. In a 2nd experiment with 72 Ss, it was found that the debilitation could be prevented for an overlearned task by making components of the task salient. Implications are explored for the vulnerability of experts to these performance debilitations. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dermabrasion for adenoma sebaceum

Two patients with tuberous sclerosis but without mental retardation were dermabraded for adenoma sebaceum. The treatment was effective and cosmetically satisfying.     

Replacement of Ser657 of protein kinase C-alpha by alanine leads to premature down regulation after phorbol-ester-induced translocation to the membrane

Protein kinase C (PKC) is activated at the cell membrane by interacting with both the acidic lipid phosphatidylserine and the second messenger diacylglycerol. A direct activation of the kinase is also possible by substituting diacylglycerol with phorbol esters such as the tumor promoting agent 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Transphosphorylation of the activation loop followed by autophosphorylation at sites located on various domains of the protein have been suggested to be required as permissive activation of the alpha and beta isoforms of PKC [Cazaubon, S., Bornancin, F. & Parker, P. (1994) Biochem. J. 301, 443-448; Keranen, L. M., Dutil, E. M. & Newton, A. C. (1995) Curr. Biol. 5, 1393-1403]. Ser657, located near the C-terminus of PKC-alpha, represents a site which is very conserved among the members of the PKC protein family. Circumstantial evidence suggested that this residue represents a possible site of phosphorylation. The conversion of Ser657 to alanine caused a 70% loss of the catalytic activity as well as a drastically increased down regulation upon translocation of this isozyme to the membrane when induced by phorbol ester. The faster electrophoretic mobility of the mutant protein compared to that of the wild-type enzyme suggested that Ser657 represents a phosphorylation site.