The Therapeutic Bond Scales: Psychometric Characteristics and Relationship to Treatment Effectiveness

The Therapeutic Bond Scales assess the quality of the therapeutic relationship from the patient\u27s perspective. The therapeutic bond is composed of 3 aspects: working alliance, empathic resonance, and mutual affirmation. Scales were developed to measure these aspects and the therapeutic bond as a whole. The correlations between these scales and 2 measures of outcome (session quality assessed by the patient and termination outcome evaluated by nonparticipant raters) were examined. All scales were significantly correlated with session quality. Therapeutic bond was significantly correlated with termination outcome in both a linear and a curvilinear fashion, suggesting that, at least in the initial phase of therapy, the therapeutic bond can be too high as well as too low

AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE OF THE BIS PROPOSAL ON CAPITAL ADEQUACY AND RATINGS

This paper has examined two specific aspects of stage 1 of the (BIS’s) Bank for International Settlement’s proposed reforms to the 8% risk-based capital ratio. We argue that relying on “traditional” agency ratings could produce cyclically lagging rather leading capital requirements, resulting in an enhanced rather than reduced degree of instability in the banking and financial system. Despite this possible shortcoming, we believe that sensible risk based weighting of capital requirements is a step in the right direction. The current risk based bucketing proposal, which is tied to external agency ratings, or possibly to internal bank ratings, however, lacks a sufficient degree of granularity. In particular, lumping A and BBB (investment grade corporate borrowers) together with BB and B (below investment grade borrowers) severely misprices risk within that bucket and calls, at a minimum, for that bucket to be split into two. We examine the default loss experience on corporate bonds for the period 1981-1999 and propose a revised weighting system which more closely resembles the actual loss experience on credit assets

AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE OF THE BIS PROPOSAL ON CAPITAL ADEQUACY AND RATINGS

This paper has examined two specific aspects of stage 1 of the (BIS's) Bank for International Settlement's proposed reforms to the 8% risk-based capital ratio. We argue that relying on "traditional" agency ratings could produce cyclically lagging rather leading capital requirements, resulting in an enhanced rather than reduced degree of instability in the banking and financial system. Despite this possible shortcoming, we believe that sensible risk based weighting of capital requirements is a step in the right direction. The current risk based bucketing proposal, which is tied to external agency ratings, or possibly to internal bank ratings, however, lacks a sufficient degree of granularity. In particular, lumping A and BBB (investment grade corporate borrowers) together with BB and B (below investment grade borrowers) severely misprices risk within that bucket and calls, at a minimum, for that bucket to be split into two. We examine the default loss experience on corporate bonds for the period 1981-1999 and propose a revised weighting system which more closely resembles the actual loss experience on credit assets

Credit Ratings and the Bis Reform Agenda

The authors are the Max L. Heine and John M. Schiff Professors of Finance, Stern School of Business, NYU. This is an updated and revised paper from the authors’ report on "An Analysis and Critique of the BIS Proposal on Capital Adequacy and Ratings," (submitted to the BIS and published in the Journal of Banking & Finance, Vol. 25, #1, January, 2001). The authors wish to thank Sreedar Bharath for his computational assistance and Robyn Vanterpool of the NYU Salomon Center for her coordination. This paper was first prepared for the NYU Salomon Center/University of Maryland research project on "The Role of Credit Reporting Systems in the International Economy," sponsored by the Center for International Political Economy. It was prepared for the project’s conference in Washington D.C. on March 1-2, 2001 at the headquarters of the World Bank

Implications of warming temperatures for population outbreaks of a nonindigenous species (Membranipora membranacea, Bryozoa) in rocky subtidal ecosystems

To quantify and explore the role of temperature on population outbreaks of a nonindigenous bryozoan (Membranipora membranacea) in kelp beds in the western North Atlantic (Nova Scotia, Canada), we constructed an individual-based model using field-derived estimates for temperature-dependent colony settlement and growth. Using temperature as the single input variable, the model successfully simulated the timing of onset of settlement, colony abundance, colony size, and coverage on kelps. We used the model to examine the relative effect on the population of varying temperature by -2°C to +2°C each day. The timing of onset of settlement varied by 18 d °C with changes in temperature from January to August. Variations in temperature had nonlinear effects on the population, with an increase in daily temperature of 1°C and 2°C causing the cover of colonies on kelps to increase by factors of 9 and 62, respectively. Changes in winter and spring temperature had the most pronounced effects on the timing and abundance of colonies, while changes in summer temperature had the most pronounced effect on colony size and coverage on kelp blades. Outbreaks of this species will increase in frequency and intensity if temperatures warm as a result of climate change, causing defoliation of kelp beds and, thus, facilitating the invasion of other nonindigenous benthic species

The Effects of High Liquid Water Content on Thunderstorm Charging

Charge transfer to a riming graupel target during interactions with ice crystals has been investigated in the laboratory. When liquid water contents sufficiently high to cause wet growth are achieved, the charge transfer falls to values which are insignificant to thunderstorm electrification. The implications of this null result to a recent analysis of thunderstorm-charging processes by Wiliams et al. (1991) are discussed

Integrated control system for a gas turbine engine

A control system for a turbofan engine receives signals from a number of engine sensors and from the engine operator, and generates control signals. One control signal regulates the fan exhaust nozzle area in order to control inlet throat Mach number to maintain a low level of engine noise. Additional control signals regulate fuel flow to control engine thrust and fan pitch to control fan speed. A number of schedules are utilized to maintain a predetermined relationship between the controlled parameters and a number of fixed and calculated limits can override the control signals to prevent unsatisfactory engine performance

Jet Bundles in Quantum Field Theory: The BRST-BV method

The geometric interpretation of the Batalin-Vilkovisky antibracket as the Schouten bracket of functional multivectors is examined in detail. The identification is achieved by the process of repeated contraction of even functional multivectors with fermionic functional 1-forms. The classical master equation may then be considered as a generalisation of the Jacobi identity for Poisson brackets, and the cohomology of a nilpotent even functional multivector is identified with the BRST cohomology. As an example, the BRST-BV formulation of gauge fixing in theories with gauge symmetries is reformulated in the jet bundle formalism. (Hopefully this version will be TeXable)Comment: 26 page

Acute pancreatitis in dogs and cats: medical imaging, biopsy, treatment and prognosis

Diagnosing acute pancreatitis in dogs and cats is difficult. Abdominal ultrasonography provides specific information about the size, shape and homogeneity of the pancreas, but is very dependent on the experience of the operator and the quality of the echography machine. Abdominal radiography is less useful, while computed tomography is less practicable in veterinary patients because of the anesthesia risks, the need for experienced operators, and the high cost. Furthermore, computed tomography has low diagnostic value in cats. Biopsy of pancreatic tissue remains the gold standard. Treatment consists of fluid therapy and nutritional support, combined with pain medication, anti-emetics and antibiotics. The prognosis in dogs and cats is variable and largely depends on the clinical condition of the patient at admission. It is usually guarded, especially in cats