Dynamic Interactive Social Cognition Training in Virtual Reality (DiSCoVR) versus Virtual Reality Relaxation (VRelax) for People With a Psychotic Disorder: A Single-Blind Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Social cognition training (SCT), an intervention for social cognition and social functioning, might be improved by using virtual reality (VR), because VR may offer better opportunities to practice in a potentially more realistic environment. To date, no controlled studies have investigated VR-SCT. This study investigated a VR-SCT, "DiSCoVR". We hypothesized that DiSCoVR would improve social cognition and social functioning. STUDY DESIGN: Participants were randomized to DiSCoVR (n = 41) or VR relaxation ('VRelax', n = 40), an active control condition, and completed 16 twice-weekly sessions. Three assessments (baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up) were performed by blinded assessors. The primary outcome was social cognition (emotion perception and theory of mind). Secondary outcomes included social functioning (measured with an interview and experience sampling), psychiatric symptoms, information processing, and self-esteem. Data were analyzed using mixed-models regression analysis. Treatment effects were evaluated by the time by condition interaction terms. STUDY RESULTS: No significant time by condition interactions were found for any of the outcome variables, indicating an absence of treatment effects. Between-group effect sizes ranged from negligible to moderate (Cohen's d < |0.53|). Main effects of time were found for several outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that DiSCoVR was not effective, possibly because of inadequate simulation of emotional expressions in VR. This lack of efficacy may indicate that current SCT protocols are relatively unsuitable for improving social functioning. Previous studies showed small to moderate effects on higher order social cognition, but the SCT approach may need critical reevaluation, as it may not sufficiently lead to functional improvement.

Operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture: Open end-to-end-reconstruction versus reconstruction with Mitek-anchors.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively compare the open end-to-end repair versus repair using the Mitek-anchor system in acute Achilles tendon rupture. METHOD: Forty-seven consecutive patients with Achilles tendon rupture, all operated on between 2004 and 2005, were included. Their medical records were reviewed and they were interviewed for surveillance of post-operative function at follow-up. Functional outcome was determined using an adapted VISA tendinopathy questionnaire and by testing the isometric ankle plantar flexion strength. Post-operative complications and recurrence rate of rupture were noted. RESULTS: Seven patients were lost to follow-up. From a total of 40 patients, twenty-eight (68% of total) underwent classic repair and 12 (32%) were treated by the Mitek-anchor system. Median age was 43 years (range 29-63). Median post-operative follow-up was 29 months (range 17-40). Median time to resume work was nine weeks in the classic group versus 12 weeks in the Mitek-group. Median time to resume sports was 19 versus 31 weeks respectively. Wound infections occurred in five percent of the total (one in each group) and rupture recurrence rate was three percent of the total (nil in classic group, one in Mitek-group). Loss of strength in the injured leg compared to the non-injured leg was greater in the Mitek-group than in the classic group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in comparing classical end-to-end repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures with repair using Mitek-anchors, it took patients in the Mitek-group longer to return to work and sport activities than in the classic group. Greater loss of strength in the injured leg was seen in the Mitek-group. Therefore we do not advocate the use of Mitek-anchors for the repair of acute ruptured Achilles tendons.

A poly(HEMA) sponge for restoration of articular cartilage defects.

The properties of poly(HEMA) sponges have been studied after implantation in the weight-bearing articular surfaces of young and adult rabbit knees. Only sponges with small pores (less than 50 micrometer) were able to withstand weight-bearing. After 12 weeks, the implants were overgrown by cartilaginous or fibrocartilaginous tissue, and the ingrowth of chondroid tissue into the sponges was observed.

Improved cements containing phosphate polymers.

The mechanical properties of two commercially available dental cements, a zinc phosphate cement and a carboxylate cement, were substantially improved by adding a polymeric phosphate acid to the cement liquids. The improvements can be explained in terms of the change in physico-chemical nature of the modified cements.

Analysis and purification of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate by means of thin-layer chromatography.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) is nowadays accepted as a biocompatible, safe and stable hydrogel for medical use. In this paper, the use of thin-layer chromatography for the analysis and small-scale preparation of the initial monomer, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, is described. Development on silica gel, with n-hexane-diethyl ether (1:1, v/v) and/or n-hexane-isobutyl methyl ketone-n-octanol (9:2:1, v/v; saturated with 25% nitric acid) is recommended for qualitative analysis. Preparative-scale work is preferably carried out on sulphuric acid-impregnated silica gel, with n-hexane-diethyl ether (1:1, v/v) as mobile phase. Inhibitors are detected by thin-layer chromatography and a drop-test procedure with diazotised sulphanilic acid. The nature of the contaminants present in several commercial samples of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate is discussed. n20D values are reported for the system 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-water.