In vivo comparison of two through-plane MR velocity mapping methods: Fast fourier encoding and phase mapping

Magnetic resonance imaging maps of velocity were acquired with a 1.5-T system in 10 subjects in a plane perpendicular to the main pulmonary artery. Velocity images were successively acquired with a method developed from Fourier-encoding velocity imaging (FEVI) principles with eight gradient steps and one excitation, and with two-point phase-subtraction mapping. Reconstruction in FEVI was implemented by zero-filling interpolation around the eight gradient steps and then around the four central steps. The methods were compared by using estimates of noise in velocity measurements based on the difference between the experimental map and a smooth fitted map. For the same acquisition time, FEVI with four encoding steps was more precise in velocity measurements than phase mapping. Precision was further increased by the use of eight encoding steps, but acquisition time was doubled.     

Paraneoplastic movement disorder in a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and CRMP-5 autoantibody.

The paraneoplastic autoantibody, collapsin response-mediator protein (CRMP)-5 immunoglobulin G (IgG), is specific for neuronal cytoplasmic CRMP-5, and is usually associated with small-cell lung carcinoma or thymoma. We report on details of a movement disorder that followed anti-B-cell therapy in a patient with lymphoma, and was accompanied by CRMP-5 IgG.     

Sternal abscess due to Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae in a renal transplant patient

 Bartonella henselae, previously called Rochalimaea henselae, is the causative agent of cat scratch disease (CSD) in immunocompetent subjects and bacillary angiomatosis in immunocompromised ones. Bone lesions are common in bacillary angiomatosis, but not in CSD. We present the case of a patient with a renal transplant treated by immunosuppressive therapy who developed a sternal abscess with a histological pattern of CSD. The CT pattern was that of a lytic bone lesion with adjacent fluid collection. The diagnosis was made on the basis of a polymerase chain reaction amplification performed on bone material. Bartonella henselae is a newly described bacteria that causes CSD in a normal host and bacillary angiomatosis in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of an osteolytic lesion of the sternum with adjacent fluid collection related to CSD, which occurred in a patient with a renal transplant.     

A new approach to selection and weighting of items in evaluative composite measurement scales

Evaluative composite measurement scales (CMS) are increasingly used in medicine to measure complex constructs in the absence of a reference criterion or ‘gold standard’. However, the level of measurement provided by these instruments has usually been given little attention. This paper explores the influence of the characteristics of the item set and weighting on the level of measurment of an evaluative CMS. The approach is illustrated with an application to the scoring system of the Nottingham Health Profile. Simulations are provided to indicate when the composite score of item responses, on an ordinal or pass—fail scale, could be considered to achieve the properties of an interval scale.     

Dopamine antagonists reduce spontaneous electrical activity in cultured mammalian neurons from ventral mesencephalon

Mammalian neurons from ventral mesencephalon (VM) were grown in primary dissociated cell (PDC) culture. These neurons are predominantly non-dopaminergic. Many of these non-dopaminergic neurons have dopamine agonist and antagonist binding sites. Intracellular recordings were obtained from these neurons. When bathed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution they generated action potentials spontaneously. However, in the presence of haloperidol dissolved in PBS solution, the percentage of neurons which generated action potentials spontaneously was reduced in a dose-dependent manner (1–10 μM). This response was also obtained with (+) butaclamol (1 μM) but not with (−) butaclamol (1 μM). This neuroleptic inhibition of spontaneously generated action potentials was specific for neurons in PDC cultures of VM since neurons in PDC cultures of spinal cord did not demonstrate this phenomenon.     

Enhancing psychotherapy outcomes via providing feedback on client progress: a replication

Several systems have been developed to monitor and feedback information about a client's responses to psychotherapy as a method of enhancing client outcome. The current study divided 1020 clients into four groups (two experimental and two control) to determine if feedback regarding client progress, when provided to a therapist, affected client outcome and number of sessions attended. Results showed that feedback increased the duration of treatment and improved outcome for clients identified as potential treatment failures thereby replicating an earlier study using nearly identical methodology. Nearly twice as many clients in the feedback group achieved clinically significant or reliable change and fewer were classified as deteriorated by the time treatment ended. For those clients who were predicted to have a positive response to treatment, feedback to therapists resulted in an equal number of treatment sessions and equivalent outcomes compared to the no feedback controls. The results are discussed in terms of quality management in routine clinical practice and the need to base treatment decisions on clients' response to treatment rather than arbitrary session limits. Suggestions for additional research aimed at enhancing the effects of feedback on client outcome are made. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.