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Lifetime measurements have been performed for yrast rotational states of ¹⁰⁰Zr and ¹⁰⁴Mo using a ²⁵²Cf source in a differential plunger arrangement, together with the EUROBALL and SAPHIR multi-detector arrays. The system has been proved capable of covering a range of lifetimes from a nanosecond to a picosecond. The transition quadrupole moments are found to decrease by around 20&percent; between I &equal; 4 and I &equal; 8 in the case of ¹⁰⁴Mo while remaining constant in ¹⁰⁰Zr. The origin of this effect lies either in a rotation-induced shape change, or in the strong mixing between the ground and s-bands in ¹⁰⁴Mo.

High-spin states in the neutron-deficient isotope ¹⁰⁴Cd were populated using the ⁵⁰Cr(⁵⁸Ni,4p)¹⁰⁴Cd reaction at a beam energy of 250 MeV. The level scheme has been extended using triple γ-ray coincidences to a spin of 29ℏ and an excitation energy of 18.2 MeV. Several collective structures involving the excitation of h_11/2 neutrons have been observed to spins approaching 30ℏ. The high-spin structure has been compared to the results of cranked Nilsson–Strutinsky calculations.

The development of coordinated systems for delivery of aftercare services to psychiatric patients has lagged far behind the theoretical emphasis on community maintenance. From a collaboration of 29 treatment and rehabilitation facilities, an independent agency was established to improve aftercare services in Metropolitan Toronto. Known as Community Resources Consultants, the agency was designed to facilitate and rationalize the use of existing services, to identify gaps in service, to initiate or cooperate in the development of new services, and to involve hospital and community service personnel in raising the level of expertise in the provision of aftercare. Formal and informal assessments indicate that CRC has had a positive effect on the provision of aftercare services and on professionals' level of awareness of aftercare priorities.

There is a complex interplay between physical and emotional factors in the rehabilitative process after amputation of a limb. Although this is recognized by those working in the field of rehabilitation medicine, an overview of the literature indicates that there is comparatively little psychosocial research, education, and innovative programming. The authors have initiated such a program and have incorporated it into the routine of an inpatient amputee unit. The approach involves the utilization of basic techniques of supportive group therapy in the discussion of recurrent themes which have emerged as major concerns among amputees. Experienced amputees help new patients to anticipate potentially stressful situations, thus encouraging increased reliance. Having professionals present allows for the clarifying of medical and/or technical issues and the group setting provides a relaxed atmosphere conducive to educative discussion of physical and psychosocial concerns.

Sixty-four women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer in a residential setting which offered structured cognitive and emotional support, are compared for level of psychological distress and satisfaction with staff support with 104 women living at home during treatment. The outcome measures were the 30-item Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and a 5-item author-constructed Treatment Support Index. A surprisingly large percentage of the sample did not, at any time, manifest appreciable psychological distress. For those women whose level of distress changed by a GHQ score of 3 or more over the three week course of treatment, residence in the Lodge was associated with decreased risk of change for the worse, and increased probability of change for the better. Results from the Treatment Support Index indicate that a significantly greater percentage of Lodge residents than non-residents were satisfied with the quantity, quality, and/or diversity of support available to them.

Theπh9/2[541 1/2−] band in 167Tm has been studied through the 124Sn(48Ca, p4n)167Tm reaction at Ebeam= 210 MeV. The favoured signature of the πh9/2[541 1/2−] band is observed to spin 61/2h̅. A remarkable small gain in aligned angular momentum at the AB-band crossing has been found. The crossing frequency and the gain in aligned angular momentum for 167Tm are compared with data for the N= 98 isotones of Lu, Ta and Re, and contrasted with Cranked Shell Model predictions, based on frequency diabatic configurations. Large deviations are found for the gain in aligned angular momentum.

Staff working with advanced cancer patients may experience considerable stress but there have been few attempts to measure such stress systematically. This paper presents preliminary studies of staff stress in two cancer centers. Nurses in an active treatment cancer hospital were found to focus on problems with dying patients as a displacement for their feelings of personal inadequacy in stressful situations. Major problems with the work situation and with staff communications were cited just as often as problems in watching patients suffer and die. A series of discussion groups lasting eight sessions was held with the nurses to facilitate communication with other staff and patients to promote understanding of the problems of dealing with life-threatening illnesses and death.Staff on a newly opened palliative care unit were found to experience only slightly less stress than a group of newly widowed women. While the stress decreased over time, indications are that some staff working in newly developed hospice units may be at considerable risk.Stress among physicians has been observed (although not measured) in a number of oncology settings. The difficulties inherent in being an oncologist in an institutions where research is a major goal are discussed and recommendations are made to decrease some of the stress being experienced.

The 'therapeutic community' model of ward organization has many advantages and proved to be helpful to a number of patients, who were able to repattern many of their interpersonal and coping techniques in this milieu. This paper is not intended as an attack on this concept of hospital management but rather is an attempt to point out that it is probably not appropriate in certain situations. The first of these occurs when all patients presented to a hospital ward must be admitted for short-term hospital stabilization and subsequent outpatient and/ or community care. The second situation in which the efficacy of the therapeutic community model may be doubted is where there is a surfeit of staff and facilities.An alternative form of ward organization based on community psychiatry principles is described and some statistical evidence is presented to support the contention that it is the more appropriate model for these situations.

We report the history of a diabetic man presenting with hyperkalaemia and rapidly progressing muscular paralysis with severe respiratory embarrassment. His symptoms resolved rapidly with reduction of the serum potassium concentration. Similar cases have been reported previously but this is a problem that few will have encountered and is a diagnosis which should not be overlooked before artificial ventilation is commenced.