Desktop fabrication of monolithic soft robotic devices with embedded fluidic control circuits.

Most soft robots are pneumatically actuated and fabricated by molding and assembling processes that typically require many manual operations and limit complexity. Furthermore, complex control components (for example, electronic pumps and microcontrollers) must be added to achieve even simple functions. Desktop fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional printing provides an accessible alternative with less manual work and the capability of generating more complex structures. However, because of material and process limitations, FFF-printed soft robots often have a high effective stiffness and contain a large number of leaks, limiting their applications. We present an approach for the design and fabrication of soft, airtight pneumatic robotic devices using FFF to simultaneously print actuators with embedded fluidic control components. We demonstrated this approach by printing actuators an order of magnitude softer than those previously fabricated using FFF and capable of bending to form a complete circle. Similarly, we printed pneumatic valves that control a high-pressure airflow with low control pressure. Combining the actuators and valves, we demonstrated a monolithically printed electronics-free autonomous gripper. When connected to a constant supply of air pressure, the gripper autonomously detected and gripped an object and released the object when it detected a force due to the weight of the object acting perpendicular to the gripper. The entire fabrication process of the gripper required no posttreatment, postassembly, or repair of manufacturing defects, making this approach highly repeatable and accessible. Our proposed approach represents a step toward complex, customized robotic systems and components created at distributed fabricating facilities.

Child-therapist and parent-therapist alliances and outcome in the treatment of children with oppositional defiant/conduct disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the quality of therapeutic alliance from different rater perspectives (child, parent, therapist) in cognitive behavioural therapy for children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD), and its association with symptom severity. Further, a panel model with an autoregressive cross-lagged panel design was used to explore whether therapist-rated and parent-rated therapeutic alliance influences change in symptom severity, or vice versa. METHODS: Sixty boys aged 6-12 years with a principal diagnosis of ODD/CD, and their parents, received individually delivered social competence training for childhood aggressive behaviour problems. Child, therapist, and parent ratings of therapeutic alliance and symptom severity were measured twice. RESULTS: Our results indicate good to very good therapeutic alliance that was relatively stable over time. The cross-sectional analyses of the alliance-symptom association revealed moderate correlations. However, effects of early alliance on later treatment outcome or of early symptom severity on later alliance were marginal. The only significant association was found between early parent-rated therapist-parent alliance and later parent-rated symptom severity. CONCLUSION: Our study shows a moderate correlation between simultaneously assessed therapeutic alliance and symptoms. The findings of the panel model indicate that an early good therapeutic alliance is a component of later therapeutic success (parent perspective).

Generation and Validation of Monoclonal Antibodies Suitable for Detecting and Monitoring Parvovirus Infections.

For many applications it is necessary to detect target proteins in living cells. This is particularly the case when monitoring viral infections, in which the presence (or absence) of distinct target polypeptides potentially provides vital information about the pathology caused by the agent. To obtain suitable tools with which to monitor parvoviral infections, we thus generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in order to detect the major non-structural protein NS1 in the intracellular environment and tested them for sensitivity and specificity, as well as for cross-reactivity towards related species. Using different immunogens and screening approaches based on indirect immunofluorescence, we describe here a panel of mAbs suitable for monitoring active infections with various parvovirus species by targeting the major non-structural protein NS1. In addition to mAbs detecting the NS1 of parvovirus H-1 (H-1PV) (belonging to the Rodent protoparvovirus 1 species, which is currently under validation as an anti-cancer agent), we generated tools with which to monitor infections by human cutavirus (CuV) and B19 virus (B19V) (belonging to the Primate protoparvovirus 3 and the Primate erythroparvovirus 1 species, respectively, which were both found to persistently infect human tissues). As well as mAbs able to detect NS1 from a broad range of parvoviruses, we obtained entities specific for either (distinct) members of the Rodent protoparvovirus 1 species, human CuV, or human B19V.

Efficacy of individualized social competence training for children with oppositional defiant disorders/conduct disorders: a randomized controlled trial with an active control group.

Patient-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy in children with aggressive behavior, which uses group-based social skills training, has resulted in significant reductions in behavioral problems, with effect sizes in the small-to-medium range. However, effects of individually delivered treatments and effects on aggressive behavior and comorbid conditions rated from different perspectives, child functional impairment, child quality of life, parent-child relationship, and parental psychopathology have rarely been assessed. In a randomized controlled trial, 91 boys aged 6-12 years with a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and peer-related aggression were randomized to receive individually delivered social competence training (Treatment Program for Children with Aggressive Behavior, THAV) or to an active control involving group play that included techniques to activate resources and the opportunity to train prosocial interactions in groups (PLAY). Outcome measures were rated by parents, teachers, or clinicians. Mostly moderate treatment effects for THAV compared to PLAY were found in parent ratings and/or clinician ratings on aggressive behavior, comorbid symptoms, psychosocial impairment, quality of life, parental stress, and negative expressed emotions. In teacher ratings, significant effects were found for ADHD symptoms and prosocial behavior only. THAV is a specifically effective intervention for boys aged 6-12 years with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder and peer-related aggressive behavior as rated by parents and clinicians.

Effectiveness of outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescents under routine care conditions on behavioral and emotional problems rated by parents and patients: an observational study.

Few studies have examined the effectiveness of outpatient cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered in routine care settings for children and adolescents with mental disorders. This observational study examined changes in behavioral and emotional problems of adolescents with mental disorders during routine outpatient CBT delivered at a university outpatient clinic and compared them with a historical control group of youths who received academic tutoring of comparable length and intensity. Assessments were made at the start and end of treatment (pre- and post-assessment) using parent ratings of the German versions of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and self-ratings of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) scale. For the main analysis, 677 adolescents aged 11‒21 years had complete data. Changes from pre- to post-assessment showed significant reductions in mental health problems on both parent- and self-ratings. Pre- to post-effect sizes (Cohen's d) were small-to-medium for the total sample (d = 0.23 to d = 0.62) and medium-to-large for those adolescents rated in the clinical range on each (sub)scale at the start of treatment (d = 0.65 to d = 1.48). We obtained medium net effect sizes (d = 0.69) for the CBCL and YSR total scores when patients in the clinical range were compared to historical controls. However, a substantial part of the sample remained in the clinical range at treatment end. The results suggest that CBT is effective for adolescents with mental disorders when administered under routine care conditions but must be interpreted conservatively due to the lack of a direct control condition.

Efficacy of an individualized social competence training for children with Oppositional Defiant Disorders/Conduct Disorders.

OBJECTIVES: Group-based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy of children with aggressive behavior has resulted in significant reductions of behavior problems with small to medium effect sizes. We report the efficacy of an individualized Treatment Program for Children with Aggressive Behavior. METHOD: A within-subject design with two phases (waiting, treatment) was chosen. Sixty boys aged 6-12 years with peer-related aggressive behavior were included. The course of the outcome measures (growth rates) during a 6-week waiting phase was compared with those in the subsequent treatment phase (24 weekly child sessions together with an average of 8 parent contacts) by multilevel modeling. Primary outcome was peer-related aggressive behavior rated by parents. Further outcome measures included parent ratings and patient self-reports of aggressive and prosocial behavior. RESULTS: During the treatment, growth rates for all parent-rated outcome measures were significant (p < .001) and comparison with the waiting phase indicated a stronger decrease in aggressive behavior and a stronger increase in prosocial behavior. For all self-rated outcome measures, growth rates during the treatment were significant (p < .01), but comparison with the waiting phase indicated a stronger decrease only for disturbance of social interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment program is an effective intervention for children with peer-related aggressive behavior.

Highly Ordered Structure Formation in RAFT-Synthesized PtBOS-b-P4VP Diblock Copolymers.

Linear poly(4-tert-butoxystyrene)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PtBOS-b-P4VP) diblock copolymers are synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The self-assembly of four different PtBOS-b-P4VP diblock copolymers is studied using small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy and a number of interesting observations are made. A tBOS62 -b-4VP28 diblock copolymer with a weight fraction P4VP of 0.21 shows a disordered morphology of P4VP spheres with liquid-like short-range order despite an estimated value of χN of the order of 50. Increasing the length of the 4VP block to tBOS62 -b-4VP199 results in a diblock copolymer with a weight fraction P4VP of 0.66. It forms a remarkably well-ordered lamellar structure. Likewise, a tBOS146 -b-4VP120 diblock copolymer with a weight fraction P4VP of 0.33 forms an extremely well-ordered hexagonal structure of P4VP cylinders. Increasing the P4VP block of this block copolymer to tBOS146 -b-4VP190 with a weight fraction P4VP of 0.44 results in a bicontinuous gyroid morphology despite the estimated strong segregation of χN≅150. These results are discussed in terms of the architectural dissimilarity of the two monomers, characterized by the presence of the large side group of PtBOS, and the previously reported value of the interaction parameter, χ≅0.39, for this polymer pair.