Positive Psychology’s Character Strengths in Addiction-Spirituality Research: A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review

There is an increasing interest in the scientific study of the association between spirituality and recovery from addiction. While most of these studies have provided evidence for a possible relationship, others have explored the underlying mechanisms and meditators in the relationship. However, generally, many studies and reviews have not approached the issue within a specific theoretical framework of mainstream psychology. In an attempt to fill this gap, the review being reported here undertook a Qualitative Systematic Literature Review (QSLR) of addiction-spirituality literature. QSLR is an orderly manner of searching for academic literature, selecting relevant literature following a set of inclusion/exclusion criteria, qualitatively analysing the selected literature, and reporting the findings in such a way as to generate a set of hypotheses. QSLR focusses on literary data, rather than on numerical data as the tradition Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis do. Working within the framework of positive psychology, the present review attempted to identify the character strengths relevant to addiction and recovery by carrying out a QSLR on 53 selected peer-reviewed articles. Among the 24 character strengths, the following emerged as salient: wisdom, integrity, vitality, humility, forgiveness, kindness, love, hope and spirituality. On this basis, a hypothetical conclusion is suggested

Investigation of passive flow control techniques to enhance the stall characteristics of a microlight aircraft

This report investigates the enhancement of aerodynamic stall characteristics of a Skyranger microlight aircraft by the use of passive flow control techniques, namely vortex generators and turbulators. Each flow control device is designed and scaled to application conditions. Force balance measurements and surface oil flow visualisation are carried out on a half-model of the microlight to further investigate the nature of the flow on the aircraft with and without the flow control devices. The results indicate a clear advantage to the use of turbulators compared with vortex generators. Turbulators increased the maximum lift coefficient by 2.8%, delayed the onset of stall by increasing the critical angle by 17.6% and reduced the drag penalty at both lower (pre-stall) and higher angles of attack by 8% compared to vortex generators. With vortex generators applied, the results indicated a delayed stall with an increase in the critical angle by 2% and a reduced drag penalty at higher angles of attack

Therapeutic Efficacy of Allyl Isothiocyanate Evaluated on N-Nitrosodiethylamine/Phenobarbitol Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar Rats

N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is a potential carcinogenic agent that induces liver cancer. To evaluate the chemotherapeutic effect of Allyl isothiocyanate in the experimental model, Wistar male rats were administered single dose of intraperitoneal (IP) injection of NDEA. Two weeks after administration of NDEA, Phenobarbital at the concentration of 0.05% was incorporated in rat chow for up to 14 successive weeks to promote liver cancer. Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (2mg/kg body weight) in addition with 0.5ml of corn oil was given orally on a daily basis. At the end of this experimental period, the rats were sacrificed and the blood samples were taken for biochemical studies. The levels of the marker enzymes for liver function were measured in serum. The results of the biochemical studies showed that NDEA administration followed by phenobarbital induces macro and microscopic liver tumors that increase the levels of marker enzymes and decreases the level of antioxidant in the serum in addition to loss of body weight. Conclusively, the administration of AITC as therapeutic treatment for hepatocarcinoma has significantly reduced the tumor development and counteracted all the biochemical effects induced by NDEA

Instructional design in teaching basic electrical engineering using Robert Gagne’s model

Robert Gagne’s model of instructional design is based on the information processing model of the mental events that occur when learners are presented with various stimuli and focuses on the learning outcomes and how to arrange specific instructional events to achieve those outcomes.Applying Gagne’s nine step model is an excellent way to ensure an effective and systematic learning progress as it gives structure to the lesson plans and a holistic view to the teaching .In this paper the author have chosen verification of laws in basic electrical engineering subject both theoretically and practically in the class room environment.Apparatus required for the practical verification of the laws were provided .The author has  chosen an observer to give his constructive feedback of his lesson . Keywords: Robert Gagne’s model, verification of laws, Instructional design, Teaching

Abrasive water jet drilling of advanced sustainable bio-fibre-reinforced polymer/hybrid composites : a comprehensive analysis of machining-induced damage responses

This paper aims at investigating the effects of variable traverse speeds on machining-induced damage of fibre-reinforced composites, using the abrasive water jet (AWJ) drilling. Three different types of epoxy-based composites laminates fabricated by vacuum bagging technique containing unidirectional (UD) flax, hybrid carbon-flax and carbon fibre-reinforced composite were used. The drilling parameters used were traverse speeds of 20, 40, 60 and 80 mm/min, constant water jet pressure of 300 MPa and a hole diameter of 10 mm. The results obtained depict that the traverse speed had a significant effect with respect to both surface roughness and delamination drilling-induced damage responses. Evidently, an increase in water jet traverse speed caused an increase in both damage responses of the three samples. Significantly, the CFRP composite sample recorded the lowest surface roughness damage response, followed by C-FFRP, while FFRP exhibited the highest. However, samples of FFRP and hybrid C-FFRP recorded lowest and highest delamination damage responses, respectively. The discrepancy in both damage responses, as further validated with micrographs of colour video microscopy (CVM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray μCT), is attributed to the different mechanical properties of the reinforced fibres, fibre orientation/ply stacking and hybridisation of the samples.Peer reviewe

TECHNIQUES TO FACILITATE FAST LINK PROTECTION SWITCH CONVERGENCE FOR ROUTED PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORKING (PON) NETWORKS

Proposed herein are techniques that enable the propagation of an event from a passive optical networking (PON) segment to an Ethernet segment through the use of a link level protocol (e.g., Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP)). During operation for a PON deployment, when a PON Media Access Control (MAC) layer component takes over a PON link as a new active link, an event can be sent to the far end provider edge (PE) of the Ethernet overlay circuit to enable a path switch from an earlier active path to the protect path. Thus, the proposed techniques may enable fast end-to-end convergence for user data traffic in the downstream direction

Study of Death Incidence by Insecticide Poisoning in Salem

Background: Insecticide poisoning is a major public health problem in the world, particularly in developing nations, its usage has increased in recent and past thus increased even its misuse to commit suicide. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at department of  Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Govt. Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College  Hospital  Salem, Tamil Nadu, India with the insecticide poisoning cases from the year of 2008 and 2009. Age from 6 months old foetus to 80 years. All collected data was analyzed in SPSS software. Results: During this study period a total 2871 Medico legal autopsies were conducted, amongst them poisoning cases constitutes 372 (12.9%) cases, out of these 93 (25%) other poisoning cases, 279 (75%) cases were due to fatal insecticide poisoning. Conclusion: During the period of 2008 & 2009 there are 260 number of cases were reported as suicidal poisoning by insecticides out of 279 cases. Males were outnumbered with 170 cases and females were 109 cases. More number of the cases were found in the age group of 21–30 years(82) followed by 31-40 years (68). Peak period of deaths by poisoning more in nos. in the month of May & June. Most victims were from rural area, married population outnumbering the married. There are 212 (74.98%) victims were from rural area while 67(24.01%) were from urban area and 223 (79.92%) were married, 56 (20.07%) were unmarried. Key words :Insecticide poisoning; organophosphates; chemical report; Tik-20; follidol, suicide

A Prospective, Randomized, Open Label, Comparative Study of Resveratrol as an Add on Therapy in Systemic Hypertension

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Resveratrol as an add on therapy to standard treatment in systemic hypertension. BACKGROUND: Hypertension is defined as abnormally high systolic and diastolic arterial pressure which remains consistently elevated throughout the day. Untreated hypertension can lead to coronary heart disease, stroke, nephropathy, retinopathy and other ophthalmic diseases. The majority of cases of hypertension are characterised as idiopathic. However, hypertension is associated with an unhealthy life style, including smoking, diet high in unsaturated fatty acids and salt, lack of exercise and obesity. Resveratrol is a naturally occuring flavonoid phytoalexin, which has antioxidant properties and is useful in the treatment of numerous diseases because of its cardioprotective, vasoprotective, antidiabetic and neuroprotective effect. Resveratrol is useful in controlling blood pressure when added to a standard anti hypertensive therapy by increasing the production of nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous and potent vasodilator. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, open labeled, comparative study was conducted on hypertension patients attending hypertension OPD of Rajiv Gandhi government general hospital. Patients who are newly diagnosed with stage 1 hypertension and with no co morbid disease were selected for the study. After screening, the study subjects (n=60) were allocated into 2 groups by simple randomization. Control group (n=30) patients received Tab. Amlodipine and study group (n=30) patients received Tab. Amlodipine and Cap. Resveratrol for 12 weeks and followed up after 4 weeks RESULTS: The primary outcome of the study was to measure the change in blood pressure. Reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significant at the end of 12 weeks (p < 0.05). No serious adverse events were reported in both groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that Resveratrol supplementation improve the long term control over systolic and diastolic blood pressure and is well tolerated by the patients

Magnetism, FeS colloids, and Origins of Life

A number of features of living systems: reversible interactions and weak bonds underlying motor-dynamics; gel-sol transitions; cellular connected fractal organization; asymmetry in interactions and organization; quantum coherent phenomena; to name some, can have a natural accounting via $physical$ interactions, which we therefore seek to incorporate by expanding the horizons of `chemistry-only' approaches to the origins of life. It is suggested that the magnetic 'face' of the minerals from the inorganic world, recognized to have played a pivotal role in initiating Life, may throw light on some of these issues. A magnetic environment in the form of rocks in the Hadean Ocean could have enabled the accretion and therefore an ordered confinement of super-paramagnetic colloids within a structured phase. A moderate H-field can help magnetic nano-particles to not only overcome thermal fluctuations but also harness them. Such controlled dynamics brings in the possibility of accessing quantum effects, which together with frustrations in magnetic ordering and hysteresis (a natural mechanism for a primitive memory) could throw light on the birth of biological information which, as Abel argues, requires a combination of order and complexity. This scenario gains strength from observations of scale-free framboidal forms of the greigite mineral, with a magnetic basis of assembly. And greigite's metabolic potential plays a key role in the mound scenario of Russell and coworkers-an expansion of which is suggested for including magnetism.Comment: 42 pages, 5 figures, to be published in A.R. Memorial volume, Ed Krishnaswami Alladi, Springer 201

The Physical Effects of Gigantomastia On the Mental Health of the Women in Nairobi County, Kenya

Gigantomastia, characterized by excessive breast tissue growth exceeding normal proportions, presents significant physical health challenges for affected women. This qualitative study examined the physical effects of gigantomastia on women's health in Nairobi County, Kenya, through in-depth interviews with 30 participants aged 19-50 years using snowball sampling technique. The study employed a descriptive research design grounded in phenomenological epistemology to explore the lived experiences of women with this rare condition. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews conducted virtually via Zoom platform and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed six primary physical manifestations: large and heavy breasts causing excessive bodily strain, chronic pain affecting the back, neck and shoulders, challenges in obtaining appropriate clothing and undergarments, difficulties performing physical activities and exercise, postural problems leading to spinal complications, and sleeping difficulties affecting rest and recovery. These physical effects created a cascade of health complications that significantly compromised participants' mobility, daily functioning, and overall quality of life. The study concludes that gigantomastia represents a substantial physical health burden requiring comprehensive healthcare interventions. Key recommendations include establishing specialized clinics, developing clinical guidelines for early detection and management, implementing public awareness campaigns, and including gigantomastia treatment in national health insurance schemes to ensure accessibility and affordability for affected women. Keywords: Gigantomastia, Physical Effects, Women's Health, Nairobi County, Keny