Change in biased thinking in a 10-session treatment for borderline personality disorder: Further evidence of the motive-oriented therapeutic relationship.

Abstract Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by both maladaptive thinking and problematic schemas. Kramer and colleagues (2011) showed that using the motive-oriented therapeutic relationship (MOTR), based on the individualized understanding of the patient according to Plan Analysis (Caspar, 2007), can improve treatment outcomes for BPD. The present process-outcome pilot study aimed to examine the effects of the motive-oriented therapeutic relationship on the cognitive biases of patients with BPD. Change in biased cognitions in N=10 patients who were subject to MOTR was compared to that of N=10 patients who received psychiatric-psychodynamic treatment (Gunderson & Links, 2008). Results show a greater decrease in over-generalizations in patients who received MOTR, compared to the patients who received the psychiatric-psychodynamic treatment. These changes were related to outcome in various ways. These findings underline the importance of an individualized case formulation method in bringing about therapeutic change.

Oxidation of silicon: further tests for the interfacial silicon emission model

The classical description of Si oxidation given by Deal and Grove has well-known limitations for thin oxides (below 200 Ã). Among the large number of alternative models published so far, the interfacial emission model has shown the greatest ability to fit the experimental oxidation curves. It relies on the assumption that during oxidation Si interstitials are emitted to the oxide to release strain and that the accumulation of these interstitials near the interface reduces the reaction rate there. The resulting set of differential equations makes it possible to model diverse oxidation experiments. In this paper, we have compared its predictions with two sets of experiments: (1) the pressure dependence for subatmospheric oxygen pressure and (2) the enhancement of the oxidation rate after annealing in inert atmosphere. The result is not satisfactory and raises serious doubts about the model’s correctness

Personality traits and virtual reality performance.

BACKGROUND: Surgeons' personalities have been described as different from those of the general population, but this was based on small descriptive studies limited by the choice of evaluation instrument. Furthermore, although the importance of the human factor in team performance has been recognized, the effect of personality traits on technical performance is unknown. This study aimed to compare surgical residents' personality traits with those of the general population and to evaluate whether an association exists between their personality traits and technical performance using a virtual reality (VR) laparoscopy simulator. METHODS: In this study, 95 participants (54 residents with basic, 29 with intermediate laparoscopic experience, and 12 students) underwent personality assessment using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory and performed five VR tasks of the Lap Mentor? basic tasks module. The residents' personality traits were compared with those of the general population, and the association between VR performance and personality traits was investigated. RESULTS: Surgical residents showed personality traits different from those of the general population, demonstrating lower neuroticism, higher extraversion and conscientiousness, and male residents showed greater openness. In the multivariable analysis, adjusted for gender and surgical experience, none of the personality traits was found to be an independent predictor of technical performance. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical residents present distinct personality traits that differ from those of the general population. These traits were not found to be associated with technical performance in a virtual environment. The traits may, however, play an important role in team performance, which in turn is highly relevant for optimal surgical performance.

Etude des liens entre l'alexithymie, l'expérience dépressive et la dépendance interpersonnelle chez des sujets addictifs [Relationships between alexithymia, depression and interpersonal dependency in addictive subjects].

In the scientific literature, the term of addiction is currently used to describe a whole range of phenomena characterized by an irresistible urge to engage in a series of behaviors carried out in a repetitive and persistent manner despite accruing adverse somatic, psychological and social consequences for the individual. It has been suggested that subjects presenting such behaviors would share specific features of personality which support the appearance or are associated with these addictive behaviors. Dimensions such as alexithymia and depression have been particularly well investigated. The aim of this study was to explore the hypothesis of a specific psychopathological model relating alexithymia and depression in different addictive disorders such as alcoholism, drug addiction or eating disorders. Alexithymic and depressive dimensions were explored and analyzed through the statistical tool of path analysis in a large clinical sample of addicted patients and controls. The results of this statistical method, which tests unidirectional causal relationships between a certain number of observed variables, showed a good adjustment between the observed data and the ideal model, and support the hypothesis that a depressive dimension can facilitate the development of dependence in vulnerable alexithymic subjects. These results can have clinical implications in the treatment of addictive disorders.

QuesTInSitu: from tests to routes for assessment in situ activities

Test-based assessment tools are mostly focused on the use of computers. However, advanced Information and Communication Technologies, such as handheld devices, opens up the possibilities of creating new assessment scenarios, increasing the teachers’ choices to design more appropriate tests for their subject areas. In this paper we use the term Computing-Based Testing (CBT) instead of Computer-Based Testing, as it captures better the emerging trends. Within the CBT context, the paper is centred on proposing an approach for “Assessment in situ” activities, where questions have to be answered in front of a real space/location (situ). In particular, we present the QuesTInSitu software implementation that includes both an editor and a player based on the IMS Question and Test Interoperability specification and GoogleMaps. With QuesTInSitu teachers can create geolocated questions and tests (routes), and students can answer the tests using mobile devices with GPS when following a route. Three illustrating scenarios and the results from the implementation of one of them in a real educational situation show that QuesTInSitu enables the creation of innovative, enriched and context-aware assessment activities. The results also indicate that the use of mobile devices and location-based systems in assessment activities facilitates students to put explorative and spatial skills into practice and fosters their motivation, reflection and personal observation.

Empirical Tests of Impacts of Rationing: The Case of Poland in Transition, February 2000

This study tests the theory of rationing, examining changes in household consumption behavior during the transition to a market economy in Poland, 1987–92. A model of consumption under rationing is developed and fitted to prereform quarterly data from the Polish Household Budget Survey. Virtual prices, prices at which consumers would have voluntarily chosen the rationed levels of goods, are derived for food and housing. The prereform Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model with rationing is estimated. Estimates from the virtual AIDS yield plausible values for price and income elasticities. The AIDS model (without rationing) is also fitted to postreform quarterly household survey data for comparison and evaluation. When the two sets of results are compared, the impacts of rationing are consistent with the theory. Own-price elasticities for nonrationed goods are larger after the reform, and there is increased complementarity and decreased substitutability for the nonrationed goods. The results for Poland show a 75 percent decline in real household welfare over the transition and this welfare loss is one-third the value obtained using reported prices.

Pédiatrie. 3. Le score de McIsaac: une aide à l'indication des tests de diagnostic rapide dans tes angines à streptocoques A [Pediatrics. Using the McIsaac score for the indication of rapid diagnostic testing in children with streptococcal pharyngitis].

The McIsaac scoring system is a tool designed to predict the probability of streptococcal pharyngitis in children aged 3 to 17 years with a sore throat. Although it does not allow the physician to make the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis, it enables to identify those children with a sore throat in whom rapid antigen detection tests have a good predictive value.

Les tests génétiques peuvent-ils être utiles pour la prévention cardiovasculaire? [Are genetic tests useful for cardiovascular prevention?].

Recent progresses in genetics have opened new avenues to further our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease, raising, new expectations in the field of personalized medicine. Genetic tests may have a high predictive value for rare monogenic diseases. The situation is very different for common polygenic diseases, such as myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes or stroke. The results from recent genome-wide association studies have provided useful information for research, but have not yet been proven to be clinically useful. It is therefore currently not recommended to conducted genetic testing to guide cardiovascular prevention neither in clinical nor in public health settings.

Substantial advantage of a combined Bayesian and genotyping approach in testosterone doping tests.

Testosterone abuse is conventionally assessed by the urinary testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, levels above 4.0 being considered suspicious. A deletion polymorphism in the gene coding for UGT2B17 is strongly associated with reduced testosterone glucuronide (TG) levels in urine. Many of the individuals devoid of the gene would not reach a T/E ratio of 4.0 after testosterone intake. Future test programs will most likely shift from population based- to individual-based T/E cut-off ratios using Bayesian inference. A longitudinal analysis is dependent on an individual's true negative baseline T/E ratio. The aim was to investigate whether it is possible to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the T/E test by addition of UGT2B17 genotype information in a Bayesian framework. A single intramuscular dose of 500mg testosterone enanthate was given to 55 healthy male volunteers with either two, one or no allele (ins/ins, ins/del or del/del) of the UGT2B17 gene. Urinary excretion of TG and the T/E ratio was measured during 15 days. The Bayesian analysis was conducted to calculate the individual T/E cut-off ratio. When adding the genotype information, the program returned lower individual cut-off ratios in all del/del subjects increasing the sensitivity of the test considerably. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to discriminate between a true negative baseline T/E value and a false negative one without knowledge of the UGT2B17 genotype. UGT2B17 genotype information is crucial, both to decide which initial cut-off ratio to use for an individual, and for increasing the sensitivity of the Bayesian analysis.

Influence of clients' personality and individual characteristics on the effectiveness of a career counselling intervention

Clients' personality traits and individual characteristics, such as age, gender, reason for seeking counselling, and further compounding problems in their personal or academic lives, may pose risk factors that render career decision making difficult and may also impact the overall effectiveness of a career counselling intervention. Neuroticism and conscien- tiousness as well as clients' age and gender directly affected clients' satisfaction with life and certain aspects of their career indecision scores before participating in our short-term career counselling intervention. Career counsellors can use personality and career-specific and career-non-specific instruments to tailor career counselling interventions to meet clients' individual needs.

Comparison of three acellular tests for assessing the oxidation potential of nanomaterials

Great effort is put into developing reliable, predictive, high-throughput, and low-cost screening approaches for the toxicity evaluation of ambient and manufactured nanoparticles (NP). These tests often consider oxidative reactivity, as oxidative stress is a well-documented pathway in particle toxicology. Based on a panel of six carbonaceous and five metal/metal oxide (Me/MeOx) nanoparticles, we: (i) compared the specifications (linearity, detection limits, repeatability) of three acellular reactivity tests using either dithiothreitol (DTT assay), dichlorofluorescein (DCFH assay), or ascorbic acid (AA-assay) as the reducing agent; and (ii) evaluated which physicochemical properties were important for explaining the observed reactivity. The selected AA assay was found to be neither sensitive nor robust enough to be retained. For the other tests, the surface properties of carbonaceous NP were of utmost importance for explaining their reactivity. In particular, the presence of "strongly reducing" surface functions explained most of its DCFH reactivity and a large part of its DTT reactivity. For the selected Me/MeOx, a different picture emerged. Whereas all particles were able to oxidize DCFH, dissolution and complexation processes could additionally influence the measured reactivity, as observed using the DTT assay. This study suggests that a combination of the DTT and DCFH assays provides complementary information relative to the quantification of the oxidative capacity of NP.

Naamion takaa : näyttelijäntyön palapelini

The subject of this bachelor's thesis has its origins in the frequently asked question of an author; whether any of their own theatrical techniques correlate with those of any well-known theatrical personality. The aim of this bachelor's thesis, consequently, was to find out the true nature of the author as an actor and theatrical professional. The author started to put together a puzzle, from different fields of acting techniques, and came up with a solid picture. Different acting techniques and the basics of them were clarified and tested in practice. Techniques were reflected on, through great personalities in the field of theatre, via discussion. The selected personalities were Jouko Turkka, Antonin Artaud, Konstantin Stanislavski, Kaisa Korhonen and Bertolt Brecht. The toughness and physicality of acting played a strong role in this thesis. "Black pedagogy" was strongly criticized. The methods of Jouko Turkka were thoroughly investigated and, surprisingly to the author, turned out usable, although the author questioned the brutal ways that Turkka used them. The author carried out some of the physical exercises that corresponded to the different acting methods, and did "human tests" to understand the true meaning of the methods. Antonin Artaud abandoned all of his past life and sacrificed himself to art, which the author refuses to even consider it. The author found a soul-mate in Kaisa Korhonen and agreed with most of her methods. Many people who had worked with Kaisa Korhonen were interviewed to find out if she actually used the techniques. The author debated objectivity with Bertolt Brecht but, whereas Brecht saw it as the basis of everything, the author couldn't even consider it a usable technique. The author also had a discussion with Konstantin Stanislavski concerning the basics of acting, the study of singing, dancing and oral expression, and other beneficial skills. In the end, the author put herself on a plate, chopped herself into tiny pieces, started to study the pieces, and found out how she became as she is.