The role of difficulty in identifying and describing feelings in non-suicidal self-injury behaviour (NSSI): Associations with perceived attachment quality, stressful life events, and suicidal ideation

Objective: Core alexithymic features, such as the difficulty in identifying and describing feelings, are associated with poor attachment styles and emotional trauma, which influence the capacity to regulate affect. Additionally, emotional regulation has been found to be the most commonly identified function associated with non-suicidal self-injury behavior (NSSI)in adolescents as they attempt to modulate strong emotions. However, few studies have examined the link between difficulty in identifying and describing feelings (core components of alexithymia), NSSI behaviors, quality of attachment, life stressors and suicidal ideation in healthy early adolescents. Consequently, this study aims to investigate these constructs and the relationship among them in a large non-clinical sample of adolescents. Methods: Seven hundred and nine middle school students (50.4% males), aged 10-15 years (M = 12.6; SD = 1.06) were involved in this study. In order to investigate the variables considered in the study, the following measures were administered: the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory exploring non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors; the Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children examining difficulty in identifying and describing feelings; the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment assessing the quality of parental and peer attachment; the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised outlining stressful/traumatic events and the Children's Depression Inventory evaluating suicidal ideation. Results: We found significantly positive relationships among difficulty in identifying and describing feelings, NSSI behaviors, stressful events, and suicidal ideation. Data indicated a significant negative association of difficulty in identifying and describing feelings with quality of attachment to parents and peers. Further findings highlighted that difficulty in identifying and describing feelings significantly mediated the effect of quality of attachment (parent and peer) on NSSI and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The ability to identify and describing feelings is important to managing emotional expression and understanding the feelings of others, both crucial in attaining successful interpersonal relationships. Our data revealed that, while controlling for stressful life events, low levels of attachment may increase adolescents’ difficulty in identifying and describing their own feelings, which in turn may increase the risk of both NSSI and suicidal ideation

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CFD Analysis of NOx Emissions of a Natural Gas Lean Premixed Burner for Heavy Duty Gas Turbine

AbstractThe present work presents a numerical analysis of a low NOx partially premixed burner for heavy duty gas turbine. The first part of the paper is focused on the study of the premixing process inside the burner using standard RANS CFD approach. The resulting profiles at different test points have been used to perform reactive simulations of an experimental test rig, where exhaust NOx emissions were measured. A reliable numerical setup was found comparing predicted and measured NOx emissions at different operating conditions and split ratios between main and pilot fuel. The calibrated numerical setup was then employed to explore possible modifications to fuel injection criteria and fuel split, with the aim of minimizing exhaust NOx emissions. This preliminary numerical screening of new fuel injection strategies, allowed defining a set of advanced configurations to be investigated in future experimental tests

Numerical Analysis of a Low NOx Partially Premixed Burner for Industrial Gas Turbine Applications

Abstract A numerical analysis of a low NOx partially premixed burner for industrial gas turbine applications is presented. In the first part the mixing inside a double annular counter-rotating swirl nozzle where the fuel is injected in a transverse jet configuration is studied. Standard k – ∈ model and Two variable Schmidt number models were assessed in order to find a reliable configuration able to fit the available experimental profiles. Resulting profiles are used to perform reactive simulations of the experimental test rig, where NOx, CO measurement were available Results are compared in terms of NOx concentration at the outlet with experimental data

Comparison of Two Reciprocating and Anatomical Single File Techniques in Cleaning Oval Anatomies

Introduction: The present study aimed to compare the capability of two single-file shaping systems in disinfecting and cleaning long oval root canals. Materials and Methods: Fifty single-rooted teeth were prepared, contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis and divided into two groups. Two samplings were obtained; S1 before chemo-mechanical preparation and S2 after the preparation. Depending on the group, chemo-mechanical preparation was performed with XP-endo Shaper (XPS) and Wave One Gold (WOG). Five teeth from each group were observed under scanning electron microscopy (1000×) to evaluate the cleanliness of root canals at 3, 6 and 9 mm from the apex. All probability (P-values) were two-tailed, statistical significance was set at 0.05 and analyses were conducted using SPSS statistical software. Results: A significant reduction in the colony forming units was observed from S1 to S2 in both tested groups. In S2, XPS group obtained significantly lower colony forming units (P<0.001). In the cleanliness study, XPS group resulted in significantly cleaner canals compared to WOG. Conclusions: Based on this in vitro study XPS system was more effective in disinfecting and cleaning long oval canals

Implementação de um ambiente de gerência em redes ATM utilizando a tecnologia WEB /

Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico.A proposta deste trabalho foi implementar um ambiente de gerência para redes ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) integrado com a tecnologia Web. Para essa finalidade, elaborou-se um estudo detalhado das variáveis das MIBs (Management Information Base) de gerência relativas à parâmetros de tráfego e conexões virtuais das redes ATM. Tais variáveis foram relacionadas com as questões teóricas de tráfego, estabelecimento de conexões e a monitoração de alguns recursos vitais para o funcionamento dessas redes. Através deste estudo, implementou-se um ambiente de gerência que pode ser utilizado tanto pelo gerente da rede, com a finalidade de controlar a utilização de recursos, quanto pelos usuários finais, com a finalidade de obter históricos sobre essa utilização. Tal facilidade é oferecida pela implementação em código Java, que tornou possível que a ferramenta seja utilizada a partir de qualquer ponto da Internet que possua um browser Web

Microbiological characterization and effect of resin composites in cervical lesions

Non carious cervical lesions associated to muscle hyperfunctions are increasing. Microhybrid resin composites are used to restore cervical abfractions. The purpose of this study was to investigate if resin composites modify tooth plaque, inducing an increment of cariogenic microflora and evaluate their effect, in vivo and in vitro, against S. mutans. Eight abfractions were restored with two microhybrid resin composites (Venus, Heraeus-Kulzer® and Esthet-X, Dentsply®), after gnatological therapy, in three patients with muscle hyperfunctions. For each abfraction three samples of plaque were taken from the cervical perimeter: before the restoration, one week and three months after restoration. The samples were evaluated both by traditional microbiological methods and by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). In vitro, disk-shaped specimens of the two composites were prepared to estimate the effects against pre-cultured S. mutans, after incubation at 37°C for 24h and assessed by a turbidimetric technique. In vivo no differences were found in plaque growth, for all samples, before and after restoration with both composites; in vitro, instead, a significant reduction of S. mutans growth was found between specimens of two composites (Mann-Whitney U-test p>0,06). In this study a relevant consideration was elicited: composite materials, in vivo, do not modify plaque composition of non carious cervical lesions to a potential cariogenic plaque

Indirect composite restorations luted with two different procedures: a ten years follow up clinical trial

Objectives: The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate posterior indirect composite resin restoration ten years after placement luted with two different procedures. Study Design: In 23 patients 22 inlays/onlays (Group A) were luted using a dual-cured resin composite cement and 26 inlays/onlays (Group B) were luted using a light cured resin composite for a total of 48 Class I and Class II indirect composite resin inlays and onlays. The restorations were evaluated at 2 time points: 1) one week after placement (baseline evaluation) and 2) ten years after placement using the modified USPHS criteria. The Mann- Whitney and the Wilcoxon tests were used to examine the difference between the results of the baseline and 10 years evaluation for each criteria. Results: Numerical but not statistically significant differences were noted on any of the recorded clinical parameters ( p >0.05) between the inlay/onlays of Group A and Group B. 91% and 94 % of Group A and B respectively were rated as clinically acceptable in all the evaluated criteria ten years after clinical function. Conclusions: Within the limits of the study the results showed after ten years of function a comparable clinical performance of indirect composite resin inlays/onlays placed with a light cure or dual cure luting procedures

Daily Rhythmicity of Behavior of Nine Species of South American Feral Felids in Captivity

The authors analyzed the daily activity rhythms of the domestic cat and of eight of the ten feral felid species that are indigenous to South America. All species showed daily rhythmicity of activity in captivity under a natural light-dark cycle. The robustness of the rhythmicity varied from species to species, but the grand mean of 34% was within the range of robustness previously described for mammalian species ranging in size from mice to cattle. There was not a sharp division between diurnal and nocturnal felids. Instead, what was found was a gradient of diurnality going from the predominantly nocturnal margay (72% of activity counts during the night) to the predominantly diurnal jaguarundi (87% of activity counts during the day) with the remaining species lying in between these two extremes. The ecological implications of temporal niche variations are discussed