Engaging in coparenting changes in couple therapy: Two contrasting cases

Following the task analysis method, this study aimed to confirm the relevance of our model of resolving coparenting dissatisfaction to differentiate between two contrasting couples undergoing couple therapy. The model under study described the steps through which couples resolve coparenting issues in couple therapy for parents. Two contrasting couples were selected from a sample of parents undergoing systemic couple therapy. We analyzed videotaped discussions about the couple's coparenting relationship to select one couple whose interaction quality improved after therapy and one couple who worsened. Records of therapy sessions were rated by two independent coders to verify whether the model of coparenting change was present. Results showed that the couple that improved after therapy presented almost all the steps of the model whereas the couple that worsened after therapy presented only two steps. This study supported the relevance of the model and its various components to discriminate between two contrasting cases.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A Unified Analysis of Balancing Domain Decomposition by Constraints for Discontinuous Galerkin Discretizations

The BDDC algorithm is extended to a large class of discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretizations of second order elliptic problems. An estimate of C(1 + log(H/h))2 is obtained for the condition number of the preconditioned system where C is a constant independent of h or H or large jumps in the coefficient of the problem. Numerical simulations are presented which confirm the theoretical results. A key component for the development and analysis of the BDDC algorithm is a novel perspective presenting the DG discretization as the sum of element-wise “local” bilinear forms. The element-wise perspective allows for a simple unified analysis of a variety of DG methods and leads naturally to the appropriate choice for the subdomain-wise local bilinear forms. Additionally, this new perspective enables a connection to be drawn between the DG discretization and a related continuous finite element discretization to simplify the analysis of the BDDC algorithm.Boeing CompanyMassachusetts Institute of Technology (Zakhartchenko Fellowship

Multigrid algorithms for hp-version interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin methods on polygonal and polyhedral meshes

In this paper we analyze the convergence properties of two-level and W-cycle multigrid solvers for the numerical solution of the linear system of equations arising from hp-version symmetric interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of second-order elliptic partial differential equations on polygonal/polyhedral meshes. We prove that the two-level method converges uniformly with respect to the granularity of the grid and the polynomial approximation degree p, provided that the number of smoothing steps, which depends on p, is chosen sufficiently large. An analogous result is obtained for the W-cycle multigrid algorithm, which is proved to be uniformly convergent with respect to the mesh size, the polynomial approximation degree, and the number of levels, provided the latter remains bounded and the number of smoothing steps is chosen sufficiently large. Numerical experiments are presented which underpin the theoretical predictions; moreover, the proposed multilevel solvers are shown to be convergent in practice, even when some of the theoretical assumptions are not fully satisfied

The Relationship between Maternal Overprotection, Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems, and Psychological Need Frustration: A Multi-Informant Study Using Response Surface Analysis

Parents and adolescents may hold discrepant views about parents’ behaviors, which may be related to adolescent maladjustment. The goal of the present investigation was to examine associations between overprotective parenting and adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problems and the frustration of their psychological needs (for autonomy, relatedness and competence), thereby considering both congruence and incongruence in adolescents’ and mothers’ reports of overprotective parenting. Our sample consisted of 402 mother-adolescent dyads (M adolescent age = 16.8 years, 63% female), who reported upon the mothers’ overprotective parenting. In addition, adolescents filled out questionnaires assessing their internalizing and externalizing problems and psychological need frustration. Data were analyzed using polynomial regressions with response surface analysis. Results showed evidence for a linear, additive relationship between adolescents’ and mothers’ reports of overprotective parenting, and adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms and relatedness and competence frustration. That is, higher scores in adolescents’ and mothers’ ratings of overprotective parenting were associated with more maladjustment and more need frustration. Moreover, results indicated that incongruence between adolescents’ and mothers’ reports related to more externalizing problems and more autonomy and relatedness frustration, and this was especially the case when adolescents perceived higher levels of overprotection than what was reported by mothers. These results underscore the importance of considering multiple perspectives when studying the dynamics involved in overprotective parenting

Nonstructural protein of parvoviruses B19 and minute virus of mice controls transcription

The genome of the human parvovirus B19 contains a transcriptional promoter (BP06) at map position 6, upstream from the nonstructural protein genes. By cotransfecting HeLa cells with this promoter cloned before the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene together with a plasmid containing almost the whole B19 genome, we showed that BP06 is transactivated by a B19 gene product. The transactivating viral protein was identified as the nonstructural protein NS-1. NS-1 synthesized in a wheat germ extract specifically stimulates transcription from BP06 in vitro. NS-1 of the minute virus of mice (MVM) activates the analogous MVM promoter, MP04. NS-1, therefore, has a positive feedback effect on the activity of its own promoter. Moreover, NS-1 of MVM activates the human BP06. We have identified, in the genome of B19, a second transcriptional promoter activity at map position 44, before the capsid protein genes. This promoter, BP44, was identified by cloning fragments of B19 DNA upstream of the CAT gene, transfecting the DNA into HeLa cells, and measuring CAT expression. The strength of the BP44 promoter is similar to that of the capsid gene promoter, MP39, of MVM. In (nonpermissive) HeLa cells, the BP44 promoter is not activated by NS-1. Thus, the BP06 promoter apparently does not determine the tissue specificity of B19 virus but BP44 could do so

Minute virus of mice non-structural protein NS-1 is necessary and sufficient for trans-activation of the viral P39 promoter

The genome of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) is organized in two overlapping transcription units: the genes coding for the two non-structural proteins (NS-1 ad NS-2) are transcribed from a promoter (P04) located at map unit 4, whereas the promoter controlling the capsid protein genes (P39) lies at map unit 39. We studied the effect of viral proteins on the activity of the P39 promoter in vivo. By site-directed mutagenesis we constructed clones encoding only one of the two NS proteins. The activity of the P39 promoter was measured in HeLa or EL-4 cells transfected with these clones, either by an RNase protection assay or by following the expression of a reporter gene, CAT (which codes for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase), placed under the control of this promoter. We found that the P39 promoter of strain MVMi is activated in trans by a viral gene product, and evidence to suggest that NS-1 is the only viral gene product responsible for this trans-activation. We also determined that the mechanism of trans-activation is very rapid, since all species of viral mRNAs appear together in non-synchronized infected EL-4 cells within a 2 h interval

Red cell distribution width and mortality in acute heart failure patients with preserved and reduced ejection fraction.

Elevated red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a valid predictor of outcome in acute heart failure (AHF). It is unknown whether elevated RDW remains predictive in AHF patients with either preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥50% or reduced LVEF (<50%). Prospective local registry including 402 consecutive hospitalized AHF patients without acute coronary syndrome or need of intensive care. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality (ACM) at 1 year after admission. Demographic and clinical data derive from admission, echocardiographic examinations (n = 269; 67%) from hospitalization. The Cox proportional hazard model including all patients (P < 0.001) was adjusted for age, gender, and RDW quartiles. Independent predictors of 1-year ACM were cardiogenic shock (HR 2.86; CI: 1.3-6.4), male sex (HR 1.9; CI: 1.2-2.9), high RDW quartile (HR 1.66; CI: 1.02-2.8), chronic HF (HR 1.61; CI: 1.05-2.5), valvular heart disease (HR 1.61; CI: 1.09-2.4), increased diastolic blood pressure (HR 1.02 per mmHg; CI: 1.01-1.03), increasing age (HR 1.04 by year; CI: 1.02-1.07), platelet count (HR 1.002 per G/l; CI: 1.0-1.004), systolic blood pressure (HR 0.99 per mmHg; CI: 0.98-0.99), and weight (HR 0.98 per kg; CI: 0.97-0.99). A total of 114 patients (28.4%) died within the first year; ACM of all patients increased with quartiles of rising RDW (χ(2) 18; P < 0.001). ACM was not different between RDW quartiles of patients with reduced LVEF (n = 153; χ(2) 6.6; P = 0.084). In AHF with LVEF ≥50% the probability of ACM increased with rising RDW (n = 116; χ(2) 9.9; P = 0.0195). High RDW is associated with increased ACM in AHF patients with preserved but not with reduced LVEF in this study population