Psychometric properties of the french translation of the constructive thinking inventory in a sample of adolescents and young adults

The Constructive Thinking Inventory (CTI) measures cognitive coping strategies used in everyday problem solving. The main objective of this study was to assess the factorial structure, the internal consistency, the correspondence with the American normative values, and the discriminant validity of the French translation. A community sample of 777 students aged 12 to 26 years, recruited from schools, colleges and universities, answered the 108item selfreport CTI questionnaire during a class period. A sample of 60 male adolescent offenders aged 13 to 18 years, recruited from two institutions for juvenile offenders, answered the CTI during an individual interview. Results show that the French translation of the CTI follows an identical factorial structure as the Epstein's American version in both adolescents and young adults, and that its internal consistency is satisfactory. Differences in Constructive Thinking profiles according to gender and age and between Swiss and American samples, are discussed. Juvenile offenders differed from community youths on most of the scales, speaking for a good discriminant validity of the CTI. In conclusion, the French translation of the CTI appears to preserve the original version's psychometric properties. The present study provides normative values from a community sample of Swiss adolescents and young adults.

An inventory of the marine and transitional Middle/Upper Eocene deposits of the Southeastern Pyrenean Foreland Basin (NE Spain)

In the southeastern Ebro Foreland Basin, the marine deposits of Lutetian and Bartonian age show excellent outcrop conditions, with a great lateral and horizontal continuity of lithostratigraphic units. In addition, the rich fossil record -mainly larger foraminifers-, provides biostratigraphic data of regional relevance for the whole Paleogene Pyrenean Basin, that can be used for the Middle Eocene biocorrelation of the western Tethys. This contribution is a sedimentary and biostratigraphic synthesis of the basic outcrops and sections of the Lutetian andBartonian marine and transitional deposits in the southeastern sector of the Ebro Foreland Basin.

Inventory of County Records : Appanoose County, 1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Appanoose County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study.

Inventory of County Records: Dubuque County, 1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Dubuque County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study

Inventory of County Records: Iowa County, 1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Iowa County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study.

Inventory of County Records : Ringgold County,1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Ringgold County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study.

Inventory of County Records : Franklin County,1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Franklin County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study.

Inventory of county records : Osceola County,1978.

This is an inventory of public records from Osceola County. The State Historical Society of Iowa received funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission along with 5 other Iowa counties for this two year study.

Comparative assessment of intimal hyperplasia development after 14 days in two different experimental settings: tissue culture versus ex vivo continuous perfusion of human saphenous vein.

BACKGROUND: Intimal hyperplasia (IH) is a vascular remodeling process which often leads to failure of arterial bypass or hemodialysis access. Experimental and clinical work have provided insight in IH development; however, further studies under precise controlled conditions are required to improve therapeutic strategies to inhibit IH development. Ex vivo perfusion of human vessel segments under standardized hemodynamic conditions may provide an adequate experimental approach for this purpose. Therefore, chronically perfused venous segments were studied and compared to traditional static culture procedures with regard to functional and histomorphologic characteristics as well as gene expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Static vein culture allowing high tissue viability was performed as previously described. Ex vivo vein support system (EVVSS) was performed using a vein support system consisting of an incubator with a perfusion chamber and a pump. EVVSS allows vessel perfusion under continuous flow while maintaining controlled hemodynamic conditions. Each human saphenous vein was divided in two parts, one cultured in a Pyrex dish and the other part perfused in EVVSS for 14days. Testing of vasomotion, histomorphometry, expression of CD 31, Factor VIII, MIB 1, alpha-actin, and PAI-l were determined before and after 14days of either experimental conditions. RESULTS: Human venous segments cultured under traditional or perfused conditions exhibited similar IH after 14 days as shown by histomorphometry. Smooth-muscle cell (SMC) was preserved after chronic perfusion. Although integrity of both endothelial and smooth-muscle cells appears to be maintained in both culture conditions as confirmed by CD31, factor VIII, and alpha-actin expression, a few smooth-muscle cells in the media stained positive for factor VIII. Cell-proliferation marker MIB-1 was also detected in the two settings and PAI-1 mRNA expression and activity increased significantly after 14 days of culture and perfusion. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility to chronically perfuse human vessels under sterile conditions with preservation of cellular integrity and vascular contractility. To gain insights into the mechanisms leading to IH, it will now be possible to study vascular remodeling not only under static conditions but also in hemodynamic environment mimicking as closely as possible the flow conditions encountered in reconstructive vascular surgery.

Improving Satellite Image Based Forest Inventory by Using A Priori Site Quality Information

Summary

Intratympanic application of an antiviral agent for the treatment of Ménière's disease.

It has been suggested that Ménière's disease is part of a polyganglionitis in which symptoms result from the reactivation of neurotropic virus within the internal auditory canal, and that intratympanic applications of an antiviral agent might be an efficient therapy. In 2002, we performed a pilot study ending with encouraging results. Control of vertigo was achieved in 80% of the 17 patients included. We present here a prospective, double-blind study, with a 2-year follow-up, in 29 patients referred by ENT practitioners for a surgical treatment after failure of a medical therapy. The participation in the study was offered to patients prior to surgery. A solution of ganciclovir 50 mg/ml or of NaCl 9% was delivered for 10 consecutive days via a microwick inserted into the tympanic membrane in the direction of the round window or through a ventilation tube. One patient was withdrawn from the study immediately after the end of the injections. He could not complete the follow-up period, because of persisting vertigo. As he had received the placebo, he was then treated with the solution of ganciclovir. Symptoms persisted and he underwent a vestibular neurectomy. Among the remaining 28 patients, surgery could be postponed in 22 (81%). Surgery remained necessary to control vertigo in 3 patients from the group that received the antiviral agent, and in 3 from the control group. Using an analogical scale, patients of both groups indicated a similar improvement of their health immediately after the intratympanic injections. The scores obtained with a 36-item short-form health survey quality of life questionnaire and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory were also similar for both groups. In conclusion, most patients were improved after the intratympanic injections, but there was no obvious difference between the treated and control groups. The benefit might be due to the middle ear ventilation or reflect an improvement in the patients' emotional state.