Experiences with psychotherapy for depression in routine care: a naturalistic patient survey in Germany

The present survey assessed consumer satisfaction of patients having undergone psychotherapy for depression as well as service characteristics including treatment access, communication of diagnosis and treatment rationale, quality assurance and adverse events. The study was conducted in the form of a 15‐item questionnaire that was published in one of Germany's leading health magazines. 473 persons responded (81.5% women, age range 17–83). 49.8% of the respondents reported substantial or reasonable improvement; two out of three patients stated they had been satisfied with their therapy. Improvement and satisfaction were greater in those patients who had been informed about diagnosis and treatment; they were lower when unpleasant experiences were reported. Methodological restrictions of the study are outlined and hypotheses about potential strengths and deficits in the delivery of psychotherapy for depression in Germany are proposed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two Weeks Inhalation Exposure to 4-terf-Butyltoluene Causes Persistent Changes in Visually Evoked Potentials in Rats

Abstract: The effects of repeated exposure to 20 p.p.m. 4-tert-butyltoIuene (CAS No. [98-51-1]) 6 hr/day for 14 days on the function of the intact nervous system were examined by measurements of flash evoked potentials in Wistar rats. The exposure to 4-tert-butyltoluene induced changes in the amplitudes of the flash evoked potentials. The changes were significantly different from controls on day 2, 19 and 26 after cessation of the exposure, but not on day 5 and 12. No significant difference in body weight gain between groups was found during the experiment. These results indicate that repeated exposure to 20 p.p.m. 4-tert-butyltoluene causes persistent changes in the function of the central nervous system measured as changes in the flash evoked potential. A reevaluation of the present TLV-value of 10 p.p.m. for 4-tert-butyltoluene is suggested.     

[3H]Ketanserin labels 5-HT2 receptors and α1-adrenoceptors in human and pig brain membranes

The binding characteristics of [3H]ketanserin (a reported selective radioligand for serotonin 5-HT2 receptors) and [125I]BE 2254 (which labels selectively alpha 1-adrenoceptors) were characterized in brain frontal cortex membranes of pig and man. Saturation experiments indicated that both radioligands label apparently a homogeneous class of binding sites in human and pig fontal cortex membranes. Competition experiments with [125I]BE 2254 using 17 agonists and antagonists showed monophasic and steep curves in human and pig frontal cortex membranes. The pharmacological profile of these sites is typical of alpha 1-adrenoceptors. In competition experiments with [3H]ketanserin, most of the tested compounds displayed shallow or biphasic curves. In particular, alpha 1-adrenoceptor-selective antagonists (prazosin, WB 4101, BE 2254...) displaced with nanomolar affinity about 15 and 40% of the specific [3H]ketanserin binding in human and pig frontal cortex membranes, respectively. The minor component of [3H]ketanserin binding correlated highly significantly with [125I]BE 2254 binding in both membrane preparations. The major component of [3H]ketanserin binding to pig and human frontal cortex membranes correlated significantly with [3H]ketanserin binding in rat brain cortex membranes (which is essentially to 5-HT2 receptors). The present data demonstrate that [3H]ketanserin in nanomolar concentrations binds significantly to alpha 1-adrenoceptors in human and pig frontal cortex membranes; this suggests a rather limited degree of selectivity of ketanserin for 5-HT2 receptors in pig and human tissues.     

Spondylolisthesis and related conditions; pathology, clinical aspects and treatment

Close pathogenetic and morphologic relationships exist between the alterations of the lumbosacral spine designated as spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis and praespondylolisthesis. The initial management of 105 patients with such conditions was conservative. However, of this group 34 patients with persistent instability and/or intractable neurologic symptoms were subsequently treated surgically, and the majority of them obtained lasting benefits.     

Wilson shaft osteotomy for hallux valgus

The results of a modified Wilson shaft osteotomy for hallux valgus in 77 feet of 51 patients were excellent or good in 62 feet after 2 to 4 years. The correction of the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle was excellent or good in 69 feet. The operation is technically simple provided dorsal angulation of the distal fragment is avoided in the early postoperative period.A     

Object recognition by component features: are there age differences.

This study extended aspects of Biederman's (1987) recognition-by-components (RBC) theory to the analysis of age differences in the recognition of incomplete visually-presented objects. RBC theory predicts that objects are recognizable or recoverable under conditions of fragmentation if a sufficient amount of essential structural information remains available. Objects are rendered nonrecoverable by the omission or obstruction of essential structural features at vertices and areas of concavity. Fifteen young adults and 15 older adults participated in a study of the effects of amount (25%, 45%, 65%) and type of fragmentation (recoverable, nonrecoverable) on object naming. Age-related declines in recognizing incomplete objects were associated with the amount of fragmentation, but type of fragmentation did not affect the performance of older adults. For the young adults, accuracy of performance was affected by both amount and type of fragmentation, consistent with Biederman's RBC theory. These results were interpreted as suggesting that age-related declines in perceptual closure performance have to do with non-structural factors such as the ability to inferentially augment degraded or missing visual information.