What is a delusion? Epistemological dimensions.

Although the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) clearly indicates delusions have an epistemic dimension, it fails to accurately identify the epistemic properties of delusions. The authors explicate the regulative causes of belief revision for rational agents and argue that delusions are unresponsive to these. They argue that delusions are (a) protected beliefs made unfalsifiable either in principle or because the agent refuses to admit anything as a potential falsifier; (b) the protected belief is not typically considered a "properly basic" belief; (c) the belief is not of the variety of protected scientific beliefs; (d) in response to an apparent falsification, the subject posits not a simple, testable explanation for the inconsistency but one that is more complicated, less testable, and provides no new corroborations; (e) the subject has a strong emotional attachment to the belief; and (f) the belief is typically supported by (or originates from) trivial occurrences that are interpreted by the subject as highly unusual, significant, having personal reference, or some combination of these. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Premature ejaculation: Investigation of factors in ejaculatory latency.

Data from 10 premature ejaculators (mean age 34.4 yrs) and 14 normal males (mean age 31.8 yrs) were gathered utilizing psychophysiological and self-report measures. Sexual arousal was induced through a tape-recorded erotic story, erotic slides, and sexual fantasy. At no point did premature ejaculators and normal Ss differ in penile responding or in subjective report or arousal. Groups were not significantly different in their rates of sexual arousal, the absolute amount of sexual arousal shown, nor in the number of sexual situations to which they responded. Premature ejaculators, however appeared to ejaculate at a lower level of sexual arousal. Results support the hypotheses that premature ejaculators have longer periods of abstinence from intercourse and ejaculation and that there is an inverse relationship between period of abstinence from intercourse/ejaculation and ejaculation latency. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of research in the practice of community mental health: A case study.

To assess the degree to which research was cited by practitioners in justifying their initial treatment decisions, 333 representatively sampled intake evaluation reports from a community mental health center requiring a rationale for preliminary mode and type of therapy were examined. Practitioners, in general, failed to provide rationales for their treatment decisions, and research was seldom cited when rationales were provided. Findings provide evidence that a schism exists between researchers and practitioners in community mental health; experimentally assessed reforms aimed at producing a more reciprocal exchange between researcher and practitioner are needed. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual abuse prevention with high-risk males: the roles of victim empathy and rape myths

The outcome of two sexual abuse prevention programs, one emphasizing victim empathy and the other stressing modifying rape myths, was evaluated with high-risk males. Sixty-eight high-risk males, as determined by self-reported likelihood of committing sexual abuse, were randomly assigned to an empathy-treatment, a facts-treatment, or a no-treatment control group. Treatment effects were assessed using subjects' pre- and post-treatment scores on the Likelihood of Sexually Abusing scale, the Rape Empathy Scale, the Acceptance of Interpersonal Violence scale, the Adversarial Sexual Beliefs Scale, and a test of self-reported sexual arousal to forced versus consenting sex. In addition, posttest scores on an Asch-type conformity measure were obtained. Results of validity checks indicated that high-risk subjects differed from low-risk subjects on a number of rape-related variables, that the victim-empathy condition increased subjects' empathy, and that subjects found both treatments to be credible and helpful. Comparisons between the empathy-, facts-, and no-treatment group contraindicated the practice of dispelling rape myths as a method of preventing rape among high-risk males.     

False-positive cytological diagnosis of lung carcinoma in patients with pulmonary infarcts

Cytological examination of specimens obtained from the tracheobronchial tree has become an integral part of the evaluation of pulmonary lesions. Cytological criteria for the diagnosis of carcinoma exist and are well defined. Certain benign processes, however, may possess features strongly suggestive of carcinoma of the lung. We report 3 patients in whom a positive cytological diagnosis of carcinoma of the lung was made by an experienced cytopathologist. At operation each patient was found to have pulmonary infarct and no evidence of carcinoma. Review of this experience has disclosed cytological and clinical features that should alert the clinician to the possibility that the cytological diagnosis of lung cancer may be misleading in certain nonmalignant diseases.     

The Predoctoral Internship: Is Current Training Anachronistic?

The historical context of the predoctoral internship system is contrasted with the current state of graduate training. The internship system emerged because psychology students often acquired insufficient clinical experience during graduate training in the mid-20th century. However, modern graduate training typically involves extensive supervised clinical contact prior to internship. Moreover, traditional internships exact significant financial, psychological, and personal costs from students. The authors conclude with a discussion of recent progress in the internship process, promising alternatives to traditional internship training (i.e., elective internship training, distributed clinical training, and the affiliated internship model), and implications for the profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conceptual research use: Some problems.

Responds to L. Cohen's (see record 1986-04739-001) criticism of the present authors' (see record 1986-04773-001) article on research in the practice of community mental health by identifying problems with the notion of the conceptual use of research. It is suggested that, given that these are actual problems, studies such as that of the present authors are correct in focusing on the instrumental use of research rather than on conceptual research use. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antibody Conjugation of a Chimeric BET Degrader Enables in vivo Activity

The ability to selectively degrade proteins with bifunctional small molecules has the potential to fundamentally alter therapy in a variety of diseases. However, the relatively large size of these chimeric molecules often results in challenging physico-chemical properties (e. g., low aqueous solubility) and poor pharmacokinetics which may complicate their in vivo applications. We recently discovered an exquisitely potent chimeric BET degrader (GNE-987) which exhibited picomolar cell potencies but also demonstrated low in vivo exposures. In an effort to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of this molecule, we discovered the first degrader-antibody conjugate by attaching GNE-987 to an anti-CLL1 antibody via a novel linker. A single IV dose of the conjugate afforded sustained in vivo exposures that resulted in antigen-specific tumor regressions. Enhancement of a chimeric protein degrader with poor in vivo properties through antibody conjugation thereby expands the utility of directed protein degradation as both a biological tool and a therapeutic possibility.     

Treatment decisions: Their nature and their justification.

Investigated how clinicians make and justify treatment decisions by surveying 25 psychotherapists. A total of 75 outpatient cases were selected from Ss' completed cases and reviewed in a structured interview with Ss. In 96% of the cases, there was no evidence that Ss were using any systematic decision procedure (SDP) in choosing assessment techniques (ATs), 98% failed to use any SDP in choosing treatment goals (TGs), and 92% failed to use any SDP in choosing treatment methods (TMs). The interview was the most commonly used AT. In one-third of cases, Ss reported that clients had no involvement in determination of TGs. Ss' preference was the most important influence in determining TMs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)