Haim Weinberg

Venous perfusion of the limb with antibiotics for osteomyelitis and other chronic infections.

A new approach to treatment of chronic infections of bone and soft tissue in limbs by perfusion is described. The method is based on a selective pressure technique; the antibiotic solution is introduced through an intravenous catheter distal to the focus of infection. Using a pressure dressing over the treated limb and a proximal tourniquet, the venous flow is shunted into the deep venous system and into the bone In some cases, surgical treatment was performed prior to the perfusion. The advantages of the method are: (1) simplicity and (2) delivery of effective antibiotics in high concentration to the infected region by diffusion through the infected or avascular scar tissue. The method was used in fifteen patients with chronic infections of bone or soft tissue. Sufficient time has not elapsed to warrant final evaluation of the results, but in all the cases there was immediate control of the infection and sterile cultures were obtained. In three cases, recurrence was noted. Temporary results are discussed.

Extent of fiber regeneration after peripheral nerve repair: Silicone splint vs. suture, gap repair vs. graft

The degree of regeneration in surgically repaired sciatic nerves in rats was measured using a simple new electrophysiologic method: comparison of the size of nerve responses evoked by stimulation distal and proximal to the anastomosis. Five different repair procedures were evaluated. After simple end-to-end suture anastomosis, about 40% of the severed parent fibers regenerated past the suture line. The result was substantially improved when the anastomosis was covered with a newly designed thinwall silicone sheath which incorporated a narrow longitudinal slit. The presence of suture material at the point of anastomosis had no effect. Finally, regeneration across a 5-mm gap ensheathed in silicone (67%) was better than regeneration through a 5-mm autograft (45%).

So What is this Social Unconscious Anyway

Although the concept of the Social Unconscious has increased in importance in the group analytic literature recently, there are still many misconceptions and misunderstandings about it and its practical applications. While some papers define the term, there are no papers explaining the basics of the social unconscious and what it includes. The purpose of this article is to address the misconceptions, describe the basic building blocks of the social unconscious, and develop a working definition for this complex term.

Trauma Groups: An Overview

Beginning with a brief review of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, the authors consider the role of group treatment of trauma. Several models of groups are discussed along with available research regarding efficacy. A discussion of the special dynamics of trauma groups and important considerations for group conducting follows and the issue of vicarious traumatization for the group conductor is addressed. A short discussion regarding the need to integrate traumatized individuals back into society concludes the paper.

Arthrodesis of finger joints by dynamic external compression using dorsoventral Kirschner wires and rubber bands.

A new method is presented for arthrodesis of small joints in the hand. In this method Kirschner wires are inserted dorsoventrally through the phalanges on either side of the joint, and the external ends bent into hooks. Longitudinal compression is achieved by connecting these hooks with rubber bands. This technique gives a solid and painless immobilization in a proper position, and the latter can be corrected easily when necessary. We arthrodesed 46 joints in 39 patients by this method in 1975 and 1976. The fusion time was 4 to 6 weeks, and the method produced a good bony arthrodesis in 42 of the 46 fingers.

The Culture of the Group and Groups from Different Cultures

Culture and groups are intertwined. Culture is essential in crystallizing our social identity and provides the common understandings that allow the social world to have a meaning. Culture is constituted from many groups that have common values. The social unconscious of a certain culture is reflected in groups, especially in large groups. This paper explores different aspects of the social unconscious and describes how the individual and the group/society always coexist. The concept of the binocular vision is used to integrate between two approaches to the social unconscious. Groups from different cultures and their unique features are described and entering a group is analyzed as a kind of immigration to a new culture.

The Hall of Mirrors in Small, Large and Virtual Groups

Philosophy, literature, mythology and psychoanalysis present the double face of mirroring. In this paper we examine the conditions for benevolent mirroring and the types of destructive one, focusing on the ‘hall of mirrors’ concept of Foulkes and Anthony. We also analyze the possibilities for mirroring in the large group and the virtual environment.

‘Impossible Groups that Flourish in Leaking Containers’—Challenging Group Analytic Theory?

All group therapy textbooks emphasize the importance of the setting for a successful outcome of the group. This setting includes clear boundaries of time and space, stable participation, and good leadership. All are seen as requirements to create a safe enough environment for participants to work on deep issues. In addition, for its normal development and progress, the group is expected to go through a stormy stage with disagreements and conflicts. My article will highlight groups that do not follow such ‘rules’. Surprisingly, the members are still able to work at deep levels, create intimate relationships, and benefit from the group. How is this possible? Should we change our theories? I link the success of these groups to the secure presence (Neeman-kantor, 2013, researching outdoor groups of wives of Israeli soldiers who suffer from war PTSD) of the leader and the imagined internalized group that the members create. Applying field theory explains how a multi-unconscious-fantasy makes these impossible groups possible.

Two Forms of Blindness in the Social Unconscious as Expressed in Literary Texts

The article discusses aspects of blindness in the social unconscious as reflected in two literary products: fairy tale and short story. The discussion includes analysing the texts themselves and the analysis of a group’s reaction to such text. This examination helps in learning about both the somatic and metaphoric level of the social unconscious. Focusing on a group of Israeli participants, this article presents the functions of blindness in dealing with the aftermath of collective trauma and guilt in the Israeli social unconscious.

The distribution of extracellular matrix vesicles in healing of rat tibial bone three days after intramedullary injury

SummaryThe distribution of extracellular matrix vesicles on the third day of bone healing was studied by morphometric analysis of transmission electron micrographs. Detection and grouping of the vesicles was performed according to type, diameter, and distance from the calcified front. The different types were selected as follows: vesicles with electron-lucent contents (“empty”), vesicles with amorphous electron-opaque contents (“amorphic”), vesicles containing crystalline depositions (“crystal”), and vesicles containing crystalline structures with ruptured membranes (“rupture”). The majority of vesicles were between 0.07 µm and 0.12 μm in diameter and were located at less than 3 μm from the calcified front. The distribution of the “empty”, “amorphic”, “crystal”, and “rupture” vesicles was 23.2%, 74%, 2.5%, and 0.3% respectively. Their sequence of arrangement according to diameter was as follows: “empty”, “amorphic”, “crystal”, and “rupture”, the empty vesicles constituting the smallest and the “rupture” the largest type. Distances from the calcified front were similar for the “empty”, “amorphic”, and “crystal” vesicles, while the “rupture” type was located nearest to the front. The present observations support the widely acknowledged hypothesis on the role of extracellular matrix vesicles in mineralization. It is thought that the secretion of “empty” vesicles from the cell is followed by intravscular accumulation of amorphous Ca and Pi to form a hydroxyapatite crystal that, in turn, ruptures the vesicles membrane. The maturation process is accompanied by an increase of the vesicular diameter and its approximation to the calcifying front.