How counselling psychologists view their personal therapy

A survey of UK chartered counselling psychologists (N = 192) was carried out to investigate how they viewed their personal therapy. Eighty-four respondents completed questionnaires about their reasons and motivations for therapy, as well as its outcome and process. The results indicated that the majority (88%) were in favour of personal therapy as a training requirement. Most respondents rated the outcome and process of their personal therapy as positive, however 27% also reported some negative effects. A factor analysis of various components of personal therapy indicated that counselling psychologists made a distinction between three factors, i.e. learning about therapy itself, issues arising out of training and dealing with personal issues. Analyses of the data suggested that aims and motivation for therapy were related to dealing with personal issues, whereas these were not important for the other factors. Learning about therapy itself was related to the number of sessions: more specifically, chose who had more than the mandatory 40 sessions rated contributions of their personal therapy co understanding therapeutic relationships and processes more highly than those who had less. Initial sessions may be used by trainees to explore personal issues, leading to a preoccupation with the self, and learning about therapy per se may only occur once this has been dealt with.

Fixed-dose combination therapy for type 2 diabetes: sitagliptin plus pioglitazone

Importance of the field: Type 2 diabetes is typically associated with insulin resistance and dysfunction of insulin-secreting pancreatic beta-cells. Addressing these defects often requires therapy with a combination of differently acting antidiabetic agents. A potential novel combination in development brings together the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor sitagliptin with the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone into a fixed-dose single-tablet combination. The former component acts mainly to increase prandial insulin secretion; the latter improves insulin sensitivity.

Stranding events provide indirect insights into the seasonality and persistence of jellyfish medusae (Cnidaria : Scyphozoa)

It is becoming increasingly evident that jellyfish (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) play an important role within marine ecosystems, yet our knowledge of their seasonality and reproductive strategies is far from complete. Here, we explore a number of life history hypotheses for three common, yet poorly understood scyphozoan jellyfish (Rhizostoma octopus; Chrysaora hysoscella; Cyanea capillata) found throughout the Irish and Celtic Seas. Specifically, we tested whether (1) the bell diameter/wet weight of stranded medusae increased over time in a manner that suggested a single synchronised reproductive cohort; or (2) whether the range of sizes/weights remained broad throughout the stranding period suggesting the protracted release of ephyrae over many months. Stranding data were collected at five sites between 2003 and 2006 (n = 431 surveys; n = 2401 jellyfish). The relationship between bell diameter and wet weight was determined for each species (using fresh specimens collected at sea) so that estimates of wet weight could also be made for stranded individuals. For each species, the broad size and weight ranges of stranded jellyfish implied that the release of ephyrae may be protracted (albeit to different extents) in each species, with individuals of all sizes present in the water column during the summer months. For R. octopus, there was a general increase in both mean bell diameter and wet weight from January through to June which was driven by an increase in the variance and overall range of both variables during the summer. Lastly, we provide further evidence that rhizostome jellyfish may over-wintering as pelagic medusa which we hypothesise may enable them to capitalise on prey available earlier in the year.

Prior colonisation with Candida species fails to guide empirical therapy for candidaemia in critically ill adults

Objectives Pre-emptive fluconazole (fcz) anti-fungal therapy is often based upon Candida colonisation of at least 2 non-contiguous non-sterile sites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between candidaemia and prior colonisation of non-sterile sites. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed in the intensive care unit/high dependency unit (ICU/HDU) of a University hospital on alternate years from 1999–2007, where a pre-emptive anti-fungal therapy policy was introduced in 2005. Results A higher proportion of blood isolates were Candida glabrata compared with non-sterile isolates (16/46 vs 106/1062; p

Systemic Family Therapy for Families who have Experienced Trauma: A Randomised Controlled Trial

This paper describes a randomised controlled trial (RCT) investigation of the added value of systemic family therapy (SFT) over individually focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for families in which one or more members has suffered trauma and been referred to a community-based psychotherapy centre. The results illustrate how an apparently robust design can be confounded by high attrition rates, low average number of therapeutic sessions and poor protocol adherence. The paper highlights a number of general and specific lessons regarding the resources and processes involved that can act as a model for those planning to undertake studies of this type and scope. A key message is that the challenges of conducting RCTs in ‘real world’ settings should not be underestimated. The wider implications in relation to the place of RCTs within the creation of the evidence base for complex psycho-social interventions is discussed and the current movement towards a phased mixed-methods approach, including the appropriate use of RCTs, which some might argue is a return to the original vision of evidence-based practice (EBP), is affirmed.