A psychodynamic approach to short-term couples therapy in clinical social work : some aspects of the combined conjoint-concurrent technique

In this dissertation, the writer explores and supports the validity of clinical social wor·k practitioners applying planned therapeutic intervention procedures to couples who are in distress. Written in two parts, this paper is esentially a review of selected literature on the efficacy of social work psychotherapv with couples. Couple therapy, which deals with the two individuals per se and not merely with their interaction, enhances the treatment of both partners. Several intervention strategies are noted by the writer, all of which attempt to alter both individual dynamics and that of the couples relationship. The writer has chosen a "fusion model" comprising of the intra and inter-personal intervention strategies. The therapeutic format of choice proposed by the writer favours a time-limited psychodynamic approach which operates through the medium of a combined concurrent-conjoint technique

A New Interpretation for the Second Peak of T Coronae Borealis Outbursts: A Tilting Disk around a Very Massive White Dwarf

A new interpretation for the second peak of T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) outbursts is proposed based on a thermonuclear runaway (TNR) model. The system consists of a very massive white dwarf (WD) with a tilting accretion disk and a lobe-filling red-giant. The first peak of the visual light curve of T CrB outbursts is well reproduced by the TNR model on a WD close to the Chandrasekhar mass ($M_{\rm WD} \gtrsim 1.35 ~M_\odot$), while the second peak is reproduced by the combination of the irradiated M-giant and the irradiated tilting disk. The derived fitting parameters are the WD mass $M_{\rm WD} \sim 1.35 ~M_\odot$, the M-giant companion mass $M_{\rm RG} \sim 0.7 M_\odot$ ($0.6-1.0 M_\odot$ is acceptable), the inclination angle of the orbit i \sim 70 \arcdeg, and the tilting angle of the disk i_{\rm prec} \sim 35 \arcdeg. These parameters are consistent with the recently derived binary parameters of T CrB.Comment: 6 pages including 2 figures, to be published in ApJ Letter

Grand Challenges: Social Justice and the Need for Evidence-Based Sex Offender Registry Reform

Sex offender registries, though popular, bring with them enormous fiscal costs and unintended consequences for offenders and communities. Consistent with the Grand Challenges, social workers can play a role in advocating for sex offender management policies that are better informed by evidence and thus a better use of resources. Registry reform would also moderate the stigma resulting from the sex offender label, and reduce barriers to offender reintegration. First, a brief history of registration laws and the research around their effectiveness will be provided, followed by a rationale for needed improvements in sex offender management policy. Finally, evidence-based recommendations for reform will be offered. Such changes can result in improved public safety outcomes and social justice in our communities

Deep infrared observations of the puzzling central X-ray source in RCW103

1E 161348-5055 (1E 1613) is a point-like, soft X-ray source originally identified as a radio-quiet, isolated neutron star, shining at the center of the 2000 yr old supernova remnant RCW103. 1E 1613 features a puzzling 6.67 hour periodicity as well as a dramatic variability over a time scale of few years. Such a temporal behavior, coupled to the young age and to the lack of an obvious optical counterpart, makes 1E 1613 a unique source among all compact objects associated to SNRs. It could either be the first low-mass X-ray binary system discovered inside a SNR, or a peculiar isolated magnetar with an extremely slow spin period. Analysis of archival IR observations, performed in 2001 with the VLT/ISAAC instrument, and in 2002 with the NICMOS camera onboard HST unveils a very crowded field. A few sources are positionally consistent with the refined X-ray error region that we derived from the analysis of 13 Chandra observations. To shed light on the nature of 1E 1613, we have performed deep IR observations of the field with the NACO instrument at the ESO/VLT, searching for variability. We find no compelling reasons to associate any of the candidates to 1E 1613. On one side, within the frame of the binary system model for the X-ray source, it is very unlikely that one of the candidates be a low-mass companion star to 1E 1613. On the other side, if the X-ray source is an isolated magnetar surrounded by a fallback disc, we cannot exclude that the IR counterpart be hidden among the candidates. If none of the potential counterparts is linked to the X-ray source, 1E 1613 would remain undetected in the IR down to Ks>22.1. Such an upper limit is consistent only with an extremely low-mass star (an M6-M8 dwarf) at the position of 1E 1613, and makes rather problematic the interpretation of 1E 1613 as an accreting binary system.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

3,4-and 3,5-disubstituted 2-pyridones using an intermolecular cycloaddition/cycloreversion strategy: toward the synthesis of aristopyridinone A

The intermolecular cycloaddition of pyrazinone precursors with alkyne substrates was evaluated. The resulting regioisomeric [2.2.2]-diketopiperazine alkene cycloadducts were diverted into 2-pyridone products through cycloreversion of the [2.2.2]-bicyclic intermediates. New insights into the regioselectivity of pyrazinone azadiene Diels-Alder reactions as well as cycloreversion reactivity were revealed in this study. Synthetic sequences using this [4+2]/r[4+2] strategy were determined that can produce predominantly the 3,5-disubstituted 2-pyridone alkaloid structures; pyridones featuring the 3,4-substitution pattern are observed as the minor regioisomeric products. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Trends in depression & anxiety symptom severity among mental health service attendees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: General population surveys have shown that some groups, particularly young women, experienced increased distress during nationally mandated restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19. However, there has been limited research on such trends among people with pre-existing mental health conditions, leaving mental health services ill equipped to plan for current and future lockdowns. / Methods: Mean weekly scores on the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 between 01/01/2020-22/06/2020 (n=9,538 individuals) for all patients of two psychological treatment services (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) in London, were compared to mean weekly scores from the same time periods in 2017-2019 (n=37,849). The proportion of scores which were above the clinical thresholds for ‘caseness’ each week were compared, and scores between groups based on gender, age group, and ethnicity, were also compared. / Results: Confirmed community transmission in the UK (26/02/2020-03/03/2020) and the announcement of the national ‘lockdown’ (23/03/2020) were associated with significant increases in anxiety symptom scores. ‘Lockdown’ was associated with a decrease in depression scores. These changes were not maintained during lockdown. Significant increases in depression and anxiety were observed at week 23, as restrictions were eased. / Limitations: This was an exploratory analysis in two services only. Residual confounding and selection biases cannot be ruled out. / Conclusions: Differences in the weekly average symptom scores were short-term; they did not continue throughout ‘lockdown’ as might have been expected, except among older people. Replication of this study in other settings and investigating the potential benefits of more regular reviews or more intensive treatments for at-risk groups, are warranted