Depression and Psychotherapy: The Importance of a Psychotherapeutic Approach Focused on Logical Reasoning and Functioning

Many patients who show up with depressive and anxious symptomology have, or have had, interpersonal conflicts that triggered or contributed to the aggravation of the symptomology herein explained. Clinical experience has taught us that many people have difficulty in maintaining Faultless Logical Reasoning (FLR) and, even if FLR is present, they have difficulty in maintaining Faultless Logical Functioning (FLF). In clinical practice, psychotherapists saw people that in consequence of their difficulty in FLR/FLF involves in conflicts that brought them interpersonal problems in relationships, in business, work, and in other areas of their life. Consequently, these problems will be followed by anxious and depressive symptomatology. Almost always, this symptomology is accompanied by intense emotional changes. With this clinical case of a patient with depression, and its treatment, is demonstrated the importance to investigate the capacity of patients to function and think, respectively, with FLF and FLR. This work has proved very exciting because Logic-Based Psychotherapy (LBP) provide pedagogy to think better, to improve emotional processing, introspection, and more profound and rigorous analysis and responses. If the responses of the subject are more logical, it will result in fewer conflicts, less ill will, and fewer disagreements, which will lead to fewer cases of depression

Opportunities for topical antimicrobial therapy: permeation of canine skin by fusidic acid

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcal infection of the canine epidermis and hair follicle is amongst the commonest reasons for antimicrobial prescribing in small animal veterinary practice. Topical therapy with fusidic acid (FA) is an attractive alternative to systemic therapy based on low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs, commonly <0.03 mg/l) documented in canine pathogenic staphylococci, including strains of MRSA and MRSP (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and S. pseudintermedius). However, permeation of canine skin by FA has not been evaluated in detail. This study aimed to define the degree and extent of FA permeation in canine skin in vitro from two sites with different hair follicle density following application of a licensed ophthalmic formulation that shares the same vehicle as an FA-betamethasone combination product approved for dermal application in dogs. Topical FA application was modelled using skin held in Franz-type diffusion cells. Concentrations of FA in surface swabs, receptor fluid, and transverse skin sections of defined anatomical depth were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) analysis. RESULTS: The majority of FA was recovered by surface swabs after 24 h, as expected (mean ± SEM: 76.0 ± 17.0%). FA was detected within 424/470 (90%) groups of serial sections of transversely cryotomed skin containing follicular infundibula, but never in 48/48 (100%) groups of sections containing only deeper follicular structures, nor in receptor fluid, suggesting that FA does not permeate beyond the infundibulum. The FA concentration (mean ± SEM) in the most superficial 240 μm of skin was 2000 ± 815 μg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Topically applied FA can greatly exceed MICs for canine pathogenic staphylococci at the most common sites of infection. Topical FA therapy should now be evaluated using available formulations in vivo as an alternative to systemic therapy for canine superficial bacterial folliculitis.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Multi Parametric Deformed Heisenberg Algebras: A Route to Complexity

We introduce a generalization of the Heisenberg algebra which is written in terms of a functional of one generator of the algebra, $f(J_0)$, that can be any analytical function. When $f$ is linear with slope $\theta$, we show that the algebra in this case corresponds to $q$-oscillators for $q^2 = \tan \theta$. The case where $f$ is a polynomial of order $n$ in $J_0$ corresponds to a $n$-parameter deformed Heisenberg algebra. The representations of the algebra, when $f$ is any analytical function, are shown to be obtained through the study of the stability of the fixed points of $f$ and their composed functions. The case when $f$ is a quadratic polynomial in $J_0$, the simplest non-linear scheme which is able to create chaotic behavior, is analyzed in detail and special regions in the parameter space give representations that cannot be continuously deformed to representations of Heisenberg algebra.Comment: latex, 17 pages, 5 PS figures; to be published in J. Phys. A: Math and Gen (2001); a few sentences were added in order to clarify some point

Assessing the reliability of retrospective reports of adverse childhood experiences among adolescents with documented childhood maltreatment

The literature suggests that childhood maltreatment is related to a higher probability of developing psychopathology and disease in adulthood. However, some authors have questioned the reliability of self-reports of maltreatment, suggesting that psychopathology at the time of evaluation affects self-reports. We evaluated the reliability of the self-reports of 79 young adults who were identified in childhood by Child Protective Services by comparing two moments of evaluation. Psychological and physical symptoms were tested to evaluate their interference with the reports. We found good to excellent agreement, with no significant correlation between the changes in self-reported experiences and the changes in physical and psychological symptoms, suggesting that the reliability of reports is not related to the health state at the time of the report

Comparison of hemodynamic and nutritional parameters between older persons practicing regular physical activity, nonsmokers and ex-smokers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sedentary lifestyle combined with smoking, contributes to the development of a set of chronic diseases and to accelerating the course of aging. The aim of the study was to compare the hemodynamic and nutritional parameters between elderly persons practicing regular physical activity, nonsmokers and ex-smokers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample was comprised of 40 elderly people practicing regular physical activity for 12 months, divided into a Nonsmoker Group and an Ex-smoker Group. During a year four trimestrial evaluations were performed, in which the hemodynamic (blood pressure, heart rate- HR and VO₂) and nutritional status (measured by body mass index) data were collected. The paired t-test and t-test for independent samples were applied in the intragroup and intergroup analysis, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean age of the groups was 68.35 years, with the majority of individuals in the Nonsmoker Group being women (n = 15) and the Ex-smoker Group composed of men (n = 11). In both groups the variables studied were within the limits of normality for the age. HR was diminished in the Nonsmoker Group in comparison with the Ex-smoker Group (p = 0.045) between the first and last evaluation. In the intragroup analysis it was verified that after one year of exercise, there was significant reduction in the HR in the Nonsmoker Group (p = 0.002) and a significant increase in VO₂for the Ex-smoker Group (p = 0.010). There are no significant differences between the hemodynamic and nutritional conditions in both groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In elderly persons practicing regular physical activity, it was observed that the studied variables were maintained over the course of a year, and there was no association with the history of smoking, except for HR and VO₂.</p