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Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep are presumed to play an important mediating role in perpetuating insomnia. The present study evaluated the impact of cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatments for insomnia on sleep-related beliefs and attitudes and the relationship between those changes and sleep improvements. The participants were older adults with chronic and primary insomnia. They received cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), pharmacotherapy (PCT), combined CBT+PCT (COMB), or a medication placebo (PLA). In addition to daily sleep diaries and sleep laboratory measures, the participants completed the dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep scale (DBAS) at baseline and posttreatment, and at 3-, 12- and 24-month follow-up assessments. The results showed that CBT and COMB treatments produced greater improvements of beliefs and attitudes about sleep at posttreatment than PCT and PLA. Reductions of DBAS scores were significantly correlated with improvements of sleep efficiency as measured by daily sleep diaries and by polysomnography. In addition, more adaptive beliefs and attitudes about sleep at posttreatment were associated with better maintenance of sleep improvements at follow-ups. These findings highlight the importance of targeting sleep-related beliefs and attitudes in the treatment of insomnia.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has developed and patented three high-resolution 3D imaging systems and processing algorithms which have been applied to a wide range of museum and heritage recording applications. The systems have been designed for different imaging applications and, in collaboration with a number of national and international museums and cultural agencies, have been used to scan a wide variety of objects and sites. The objective of this paper is to present a summary of the 3D technology and examples of its heritage applications. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a research study that analyzes the efficacy of a new brace design technique to a standard technique (TLSO) system for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Empirical methods are mostly used to do brace design. Technology now allows designing, optimizing and fabricating a novel range of braces with expected biomechanical improvements.

Introduction and objectives: Bracing design is mostly done using empirical methods. Recent advances in CAD/CAM and computer biomechanical simulations now allow designing, optimizing and fabricating novel generation of braces with expected biomechanical improvements. This study aims at comparing the effectiveness of these two brace design techniques for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Materials and methods: So far 7 AIS patients were recruited. Two braces were built for each patient: 1) a standard TLSO designed using the plaster-cast method (STD Brace), and 2) a brace designed and fabricated using a biomechanical 3D finite element model personalized to the patient's geometry and a CAD/CAM software (SimBrace). The latter technique allowed virtual installation of the brace on the patient model and prediction of its effects before fabrication. Several virtual braces were thus iteratively tested and the one giving the best immediate correction was chosen for refinement by the orthotist and fabricated using a computer-aided carver. Immediate brace effectiveness was assessed using radiographs in both braces. Results: For the first patient, the STD Brace corrected the thoracic and lumbar Cobb angles by 52% and 40% respectively while SimBrace corrected these angles by 29% and 90%. There was little effect of the sagittal curves, and both braces maintained the coronal balance. The patient was more comfortable in the NewBrace. Preliminary conclusion: These first results showed the feasibility of a new technique to design braces and assess their effectiveness with respect to current design technique. An extended study on more cases is under way to fully assess this new design paradigm. Significance: When completely validated, this new design technique will allow improving the brace design process and rationalize conservative treatments of AIS. Acknowledgements: Project funded by NSERC, Boston Brace and Lagarrigue. Special thanks to Benoît Bissonnette. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]