Can intermittent theta burst stimulation as add-on to psychotherapy improve nicotine abstinence? Results from a pilot study

Smoking is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Discontinuing smoking can increase life expectancy to the presmoking level. Unaided attempts are often ineffective, strengthening the necessity of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), nicotine replacement or pharmacotherapy. Still, relapse rates are high. Recently, a modulation of nicotine craving, which predicts relapse, through transcranial magnetic stimulation to the prefrontal cortex was shown. In a pilot study, we investigated whether 4 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as add-on treatment to CBT reduces nicotine craving and improves long-term abstinence (at 3, 6 and 12 months). Smokers were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 38) or a sham group (n = 36). Although we did not find reduced craving, we could show higher abstinence rates in the treatment group at 3 months. At 6 and 12 months abstinence rates did not differ significantly. Results at 12 months, however, have to be interpreted cautiously due to significant differences in the dropout rates between the two groups at this time point. We provide first evidence for a beneficial effect of additional iTBS on intermediate nicotine abstinence; however, the low number of iTBS sessions might have prevented longer effects. More lasting effects might be achieved by iTBS maintenance sessions in analogy to the treatment of depression

Электроснабжение установки перекачки нефти п. Пионерный ОАО «Томскнефть»

РЕФЕРАТ Выпускная квалификационная работа 149 с., 23 рис., 32 табл., 29 источников, 6 прил. Ключевые слова: нефтепровод, насос, электрооборудование, схема электроснабжения, линия, сеть, электроприемник, нагрузка, оборудование, защита, ток, напряжение, мощность. Объектом исследования является электрическая часть УПН п. Пионерный ОАО «Томскенефть». Цель работы – проектирование схемы электроснабжения предприятия, выбор оборудования. В процессе исследования проводился сбор исходных данных в ходе производственной практики на объекте исследования. В результате была спроектирована схема электроснабжения от подстанции энергосистемы, до конечного электроприемника. Были выбраны кабели и провода, коммутационное оборудование, были сделаны необходимые проверки. Также результатом работы сталESSAY Final qualifying work 149 p., 23 fig., 32 tab., 29 sources, 6 adj. Keywords: oil, pump, electrical equipment, power supply circuit, line, network, power-consuming equipment, load equipment, protection, current, voltage, power. The object of research is the electrical part of UPN claim. Pionerny of "Tomskeneft". The purpose of work - designing enterprise power scheme, the choice of equipment. The study was conducted to collect baseline data in the course of practical training on the subject of the study. As a result, power supply circuit has been designed from the substation grid, appliance, to the end. Were selected cables and wires, switching equipment, the necessary checks have been made. It is also the result of the work became an economic calculation of capital costs for the con

Evidence of Key Tinnitus-Related Brain Regions Documented by a Unique Combination of Manganese-Enhanced MRI and Acoustic Startle Reflex Testing

Animal models continue to improve our understanding of tinnitus pathogenesis and aid in development of new treatments. However, there are no diagnostic biomarkers for tinnitus-related pathophysiology for use in awake, freely moving animals. To address this disparity, two complementary methods were combined to examine reliable tinnitus models (rats repeatedly administered salicylate or exposed to a single noise event): inhibition of acoustic startle and manganese-enhanced MRI. Salicylate-induced tinnitus resulted in wide spread supernormal manganese uptake compared to noise-induced tinnitus. Neither model demonstrated significant differences in the auditory cortex. Only in the dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus (DCIC) did both models exhibit supernormal uptake. Therefore, abnormal membrane depolarization in the DCIC appears to be important in tinnitus-mediated activity. Our results provide the foundation for future studies correlating the severity and longevity of tinnitus with hearing loss and neuronal activity in specific brain regions and tools for evaluating treatment efficacy across paradigms

Erfahrungen nach mehr als 8000 Säuglingen

Die BERAphon®-Untersuchung mit Ableitung der frühen akustisch evozierten Potenziale mit einem speziellen Kopfhörer und unter Verwendung der Steady State- Potentiale und des Zeitgangreizes stellt eine Hörscreeningmethode mit hoher Validität dar. Seit August 1997 ist ein universelles Hörscreening-Programm für Neugeborene an den Universitätskliniken in Würzburg etabliert. Bis März 2004 wurden bei insgesamt 8150 Neugeborenen primäre und Kontroll-Hörscreening-Untersuchungen mit dem BERAphon® durchgeführt. 99 % aller Neugeborenen wiesen nach Durchlaufen des zweistufigen Hörscreenings unauffällige Antworten auf. 110 der im Rahmen des primären oder Kontroll-Screening untersuchten Neugeborenen wiesen eine Schwerhörigkeit auf. Die BERAphon®- Methode stellt ein zuverlässiges Messverfahren zum Hörscreening dar