The Effect of Topical Fluoride on Dental Caries Experience in Adult Females of a Military Population

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66668/2/10.1177_00220345550340011801.pd

Lifetime anxiety disorders in women with bulimia nervosa

We examined the prevalence and ages at onset of additional childhood and adult psychiatric disorders in women with bulimia nervosa and evaluated the differential impact of a mood or anxiety disorder on the presentation of bulimia nervosa. One hundred fourteen women participating in a clinical trial of cognitivebehavioral therapy for bulimia nervosa were assessed at pretreatment with structured diagnostic methodology. Although mood disorders were the most frequently occurring additional psychiatric disorder (75%), 64% experienced an additional anxiety disorder. Age at onset of the anxiety disorders was markedly earlier than age at onset of bulimia nervosa or other comorbid conditions. Stratification of the sample on the presence of a mood or anxiety disorder revealed no differences in the core bulimic symptoms across groups. The presence of a mood disorder was associated with greater body dissatisfaction, lower Global Assessment of Functioning Scales (GAFS) score, more externalizing disorders of childhood, and, as expected, higher Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores. The presence of an anxiety disorder was related to a history of anorexia nervosa and earlier age at onset of drug or alcohol dependence. Early-onset anxiety disorders are prevalent and may represent one potential pathway to bulimia nervosa

Predictors of 1-year treatment outcome in bulimia nervosa

We examined predictors of outcome 1 year after completion of a randomized clinical trial assessing the additive efficacy of two forms of exposure with response prevention to a core of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for bulimia nervosa (BN). One hundred one women who met DSM-III-R criteria for BN, and who completed the clinical trial, were available for follow-up at 1 year. Predictor variables were assessed prospectively and partitioned temporally to reflect lifetime history (including personality), pretreatment clinical status, and posttreatment clinical status. Outcome was based on the frequency of hinging and purging in the 3 months before assessment based on carefully constructed lifechart interviews. A series of stepwise logistic regressions were performed to determine independent predictors of 1-year outcome while controlling for treatment received. Demographic variables were unrelated to treatment outcome. A history of obesity was predictive of poor outcome, whereas a history of alcohol dependence decreased the odds of poor outcome. High self-directedness on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) predicted favorable outcome at 1 year, whereas personality disorder symptoms were not predictive. Pretreatment global functioning, bulimia scores on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), and the presence of major depression predicted poor outcome. Posttreatment binging, food restriction, and urges to binge on a cue reactivity assessment predicted poor outcome at 1 year. The character trait of self-directedness is a strong predictor of good outcome for CBT, and methods to enhance this trait may be worthy of investigation. Low global functioning and the presence of major depression at presentation may require additional treatment than focused CBT for BN. Our results argue for treatment goals that include abstinence from binging and restricting and decreases in urges to binge in response to high-risk cues

Predictors of premature termination from psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa: Low treatment credibility, early therapy alliance, and self-transcendence

Objective: Failure to complete treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is- common, clinically concerning but difficult to predict. This study examines whether therapy-related factors (patient-rated pretreatment credibility and early therapeutic alliance) predict subsequent premature termination of treatment (PTT) alongside self-transcendence (a previously identified clinical predictor) in women with AN. Methods: 56 women aged 17–40 years participating in a randomized outpatient psychotherapy trial for AN. Treatment completion was defined as attending 15/20 planned sessions. Measures were the Treatment Credibility, Temperament and Character Inventory, Vanderbilt Therapeutic Alliance Scale and the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Process Scale. Statistics were univariate tests, correlations, and logistic regression. Results: Treatment credibility and certain early patient and therapist alliance/process subscales predicted PTT. Lower self-transcendence and lower early process accounted for 33% of the variance in predicting PTT. Discussion: Routine assessment of treatment credibility and early process (comprehensively assessed from multiple perspectives) may help clinicians reduce PTT thereby enhancing treatment outcomes

Study of 9Be+12C elastic scattering at energies near the Coulomb barrier

In this work, angular distribution measurements for the elastic channel were performed for the 9Be+12C reaction at the energies ELab=13.0, 14.5, 17.3, 19.0 and 21.0 MeV, near the Coulomb barrier. The data have been analyzed in the framework of the double folding S\~ao Paulo potential. The experimental elastic scattering angular distributions were well described by the optical potential at forward angles for all measured energies. However, for the three highest energies, an enhancement was observed for intermediate and backward angles. This can be explained by the elastic transfer mechanism. Keywords: 9Be+12C, Elastic Scattering, S\~aoo Paulo Potential

Cosmic Censorship, Area Theorem, and Self-Energy of Particles

The (zeroth-order) energy of a particle in the background of a black hole is given by Carter's integrals. However, exact calculations of a particle's {\it self-energy} (first-order corrections) are still beyond our present reach in many situations. In this paper we use Hawking's area theorem in order to derive bounds on the self-energy of a particle in the vicinity of a black hole. Furthermore, we show that self-energy corrections {\it must} be taken into account in order to guarantee the validity of Penrose cosmic censorship conjecture.Comment: 11 page

Complex personality disorder in bulimia nervosa

Objective: Recent research has suggested a move toward a dimensional system for the classification of personality disorders (PDs). Tyrer's dimensional model using severity as a form of categorizing PDs was used to compare eating disorder outcome in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) over 3 years. Method: One hundred thirty-four women with BN were divided into 4 groups based on PD severity: no PD (n = 32), personality difficulty (n = 27), simple PD (n = 29), and complex PD (n = 46). Eating disorder symptoms and attitudes, general psychosocial functioning, and depressive symptoms were examined at pretreatment and at 1-year and 3-year follow-up (posttreatment). Results: The complex PD group had greater Axis I comorbidity and psychopathology than the remaining 3 groups at pretreatment. At 1-year and 3-year follow-up, there were no differences in eating disorder outcome, general psychosocial functioning, and depressive symptoms across the 4 groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that having an increased number of PDs comorbid with BN does not influence eating disorder outcome up to 3 years after treatment

Quantum correlated twin atomic beams via photo-dissociation of a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate

We study the process of photo-dissociation of a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate as a potential source of strongly correlated twin atomic beams. We show that the two beams can possess nearly perfect quantum squeezing in their relative numbers.Comment: Corrected LaTeX file layou

Topological Defects and CMB anisotropies : Are the predictions reliable ?

We consider a network of topological defects which can partly decay into neutrinos, photons, baryons, or Cold Dark Matter. We find that the degree-scale amplitude of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies as well as the shape of the matter power spectrum can be considerably modified when such a decay is taken into account. We conclude that present predictions concerning structure formation by defects might be unreliable.Comment: 14 pages, accepted for publication in PR

Knowledge-based energy functions for computational studies of proteins

This chapter discusses theoretical framework and methods for developing knowledge-based potential functions essential for protein structure prediction, protein-protein interaction, and protein sequence design. We discuss in some details about the Miyazawa-Jernigan contact statistical potential, distance-dependent statistical potentials, as well as geometric statistical potentials. We also describe a geometric model for developing both linear and non-linear potential functions by optimization. Applications of knowledge-based potential functions in protein-decoy discrimination, in protein-protein interactions, and in protein design are then described. Several issues of knowledge-based potential functions are finally discussed.Comment: 57 pages, 6 figures. To be published in a book by Springe