Self-esteem and causal attributions for success and failure in children

In a comparison of causal attributions following success and failure in hypothetical social, athletic, and academic situations, high self-esteem grade school children were more likely than low self-esteem children to attribute their success to ability and their failure to either lack of effort or bad luck. Low self-esteem children, on the other hand, attributed their success more often than high self-esteem children to good luck (and in social situations to effort and task ease as well) and their failure to lack of ability. Whereas prior studies that focused only on the internal-external dimension found that low and high self-esteem children differed in their attributional style to success but not to failure, the present study found that when distinctions between behavioral and characterological attributions (stability and globality dimensions) were included, the two groups differed significantly in response to both success and failure. Although perhaps not generalizable beyond the present attribution measure, the most pronounced attribution differences between low and high self-esteem children were observed in the social domain, the least in the academic domain, with athletics falling in between. Finally, it was found that sex and age (within the limited fourth- to sixth-grade range examined in the present study) did not alter the overriding difference in attributional style between low and high self-esteem children.This study is based on a doctoral dissertation submitted by the first author under the supervision of the last author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree at the University of Vermont.     

Ein neues Zeichen zum Nachweis der Schußabgabe durch eigene Hand?

Zusammenfassung Es wird über zwei Fälle von tödlichen Kopfschüssen berichtet (Einschußwunden rechte Schläfe, absolute Nahschüsse, Kaliber 7,65 bzw. 9 mm), bei denen im Spalt des rechten Schultergelenks Blutungen festgestellt werden konnten. Diese werden durch Überdehnung bei Schußabgabe und extremer Gelenkposition erklärt. Sie könnten, sollten sie sich in einem größeren Obduktionsgut bestätigen, ein Hinweis für eigene Hand sein.     

Histological characterization of neurones innervating functionally different muscles of Locusta

The innervation of four functionally different muscles (subalar, remotor 1, remotor 2, pleuroalar), all served by the same nerve branch, was studied in both winged segments of the locust, Locusta migratoria. Several anatomical techniques were applied: With the cobalt backfill and silver intensification technique four cell types (motoneurone, dorsal unpaired median neurone, common inhibitory neurone, and small median neurone) were demonstrated. Serial sections enabled the morphology of the motoneurones to be described in more detail and in respect to a possible functional organization of the arborizations. A differential staining technique allowed us to stain various neurones in different colours in the same preparation. With this technique the anatomy of both the "rostral" and the "caudal" subalar motoneurones could be described in parallel, thus avoiding errors in comparison due to possible individual variations from preparation to preparation. Axon counts in the peripheral nerve branch enabled us to compile a list of the total innervation for each muscle. Results from other orthopterans are integrated and whether differences in the dendritic fields might be of functional significance is discussed.     

Proton magnetic resonance in experimental acute and chronic renal failure in rats

Kidney cortical and medullary "spin-lattice" (T1) and "spin-spin" (T2) relaxation times were measured by spectroscopy in several types of experimental renal failure in rats. The T1 and the measured tissue water content were used to calculate the fraction bound (FB) and hydration fraction (HF) according to a fast proton diffusion model. The present study demonstrated the possibility to differentiate between normal and pathological renal tissue resulting from renal artery clamping (RAC), renal pedicle clamping (RPC) with or without reflow, glycerol-induced acute renal failure with or without previous dehydration, and chronic hypertensive renal failure induced by 5/6 nephrectomy and saline loading, with low (6%) or normal (21%) protein diet. Shortened T1 and prolonged T2 found in both cortex and medulla of the glycerol-induced ARF in dehydrated rats seem to represent a MR ischemic pattern. The prolongation of T1 and T2 and the increase in water content in the other groups seem to relate to different amounts of tubular obstruction and renal congestion. In summary, characteristic MR properties of different types of renal failure may provide etiological and pathogenetic diagnostic possibilities.     

79. Totalprothese der Hüfte: Das Verfahren mit Verwendung von Zement — Indikation,Technik, Resultate

Zusammenfassung Die Prothese mu\ dem Knochen angepät werden. Keine motorische Bearbeitung. Biomechanisch notwendig ist eine möglichst grosse Kontaktzone ohne Relativbewegungen. Eine mägenaue Prothese lässt sich nicht einführen. Massgenauigkeit ist nur mit Zement realisierbar. Sein Nachteil der zu grossen Elastizität bei dickerer Schicht muss durch ein möglichst voluminöses, in der Markhöhle verkeiltes Metallimplantat kompensiert werden. Osteosyntheseplatten neben dem Schaft ergeben im Zementverbund eine Art Individualprothese. Der Zement ist langfristig biokompatibel. Wichtig ist eine korrekte Zementiertechnik. 95% erfolgreiche Resultate bei 373 Ersatzoperationen von 1977–1985 beweisen die Gültigkeit der biomechanischen Überlegungen, da gleiches Implantationsmaterial verwendet wurde. Allergie als Lokkerungsfaktor fült praktisch ausser Betracht. In Knochendefekte gehërt Knochen, nicht Zement.     

Postoperative Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus Wound Infection,Switzerland

Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus is a nonvirulent organism found in human and ruminant microbiota. However, P. thiaminolyticus can act as an opportunistic pathogen in humans. We describe a case of abdominal wall hematoma secondarily infected by P. thiaminolyticus. Our findings emphasize the risk for unusual Paenibacillus infections in otherwise healthy persons.     

A review of burn symptoms and potential novel neural targets for non-invasive brain stimulation for treatment of burn sequelae

Burn survivors experience myriad associated symptoms such as pain, pruritus, fatigue, impaired motor strength, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Many of these symptoms are common and remain chronic, despite current standard of care. One potential novel intervention to target these post burn symptoms is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique that modulates neural excitability of a specific target or neural network. The aim of this work is to review the neural circuits of the aforementioned clinical sequelae associated with burn injuries and to provide a scientific rationale for specific NIBS targets that can potentially treat these conditions. We ran a systematic review, following the PRISMA statement, of tDCS effects on burn symptoms. Only three studies matched our criteria. One was a feasibility study assessing cortical plasticity in chronic neuropathic pain following burn injury, one looked at the effects of tDCS to reduce pain anxiety during burn wound care, and one assessed the effects of tDCS to manage pain and pruritus in burn survivors. Current literature on NIBS in burn remains limited, only a few trials have been conducted. Based on our review and results in other populations suffering from similar symptoms as patients with burn injuries, three main areas were selected: the prefrontal region, the parietal area and the motor cortex. Based on the importance of the prefrontal cortex in the emotional component of pain and its implication in various psychosocial symptoms, targeting this region may represent the most promising target. Our review of the neural circuitry involved in post burn symptoms and suggested targeted areas for stimulation provide a spring board for future study initiatives.     

Risk Factors and Management of Leukopenia After Kidney Transplantation: A Single-Center Experience

BackgroundLeukopenia is a common complication after kidney transplantation. The etiology is multifactorial, with medication adverse effects and cytomegalovirus infection as main causes. Optimal strategies to prevent or treat posttransplant leukopenia remain unknown. We aimed to identify risk factors for leukopenia and to investigate the benefit of switching the immunosuppressive therapy to hydrocortisone as a continuous infusion.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated all patients with leukopenia after kidney transplantation between 2007 and 2017 at our center relative to age- and sex-matched controls.ResultsLeukopenia was associated with the degree of rejection therapy before leukopenia, the immunosuppressive therapy before transplantation, and an induction therapy with rabbit antithymocyte globulin. Patients with leukopenia exhibited increased mortality, an increased incidence of bacterial and viral infections, and more acute rejections. Switching to hydrocortisone as a continuous infusion in patients with severe leukopenia decreased the duration of leukopenia and the incidence of subsequent viral infections, especially with cytomegalovirus.ConclusionLeukopenia is a risk factor for infectious complications and mortality, and it is associated with acute rejection. Switching immunosuppressive therapy to hydrocortisone as a continuous infusion is a safe approach to reduce the duration of leukopenia and the incidence of viral infections.     

Non-bullous erythroderma (congenital) ichthyosiforme with perinuclear shells

A congenital dermatosis with an unusual course is described in a 5-year-old girl. During the first months of life she was found to have erythrokeratodermatic plaques, which developed into a non-bullous (congenital) ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE) within 1 year. Since then, the clinical picture has remained stable. Histologically, the upper epidermal layers showed ballooning and vacuolization of the keratinocytes, glycogen storage, and focal parakeratotic keratinization. Conspicuous ultrastructural alterations consisted in the formation of shells of fine-filamentous, cross-linked material of unknown nature, binuclear keratinocytes, perinuclear edema formation, and the occurrence of lipid droplets in the horny layer. The n-alkane value was within the normal range. Our histological and ultrastructural findings are largely in accordance with those in a case of "congenital reticular ichthyosiform erythroderma". The disorder seems to represent a special genotype in the heterogeneous group of the non-bullous CIEs. We suggest naming it "non-bullous (congenital) ichthyosiform erythroderma with perinuclear shells".