The modification of bituminous materials using tall oil pitch : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Chemical Technology at Massey University, New Zealand

There are economic, occupational safety and health, and environmental advantages in using tall oil pitch (TOP) as a bitumen extender. However, before bitumen modified with TOP can be used commercially in New Zealand, it must meet the requirements of the national specification for roading bitumen. The rheological and chemical properties of TOP modified bitumen were assessed before and after ageing samples as 1 mm thick films for 3024 ± 8 hours in an oven at 60° C. An 80/100 bitumen was produced by blending 12% TOP with 40/50 bitumen. Similarly, 180/200 bitumen was produced by blending 25% TOP with 40/50 bitumen, 15% TOP with 80/100 bitumen or 6% TOP with 130/150 bitumen. The ageing index of the bitumen increased as the TOP content increased, which indicates that TOP modified bitumen is less durable than conventional bitumen. Increasing the TOP content caused both a decrease in the dispersability of the asphaltenes as measured by the Heithaus parameter Pa , and an increase in the quantity of asphaltenes after ageing. However, analysis of the bitumen using gel permeation chromatography and confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the size of the asphaltene aggregates remains in the range of 2 - 7 µm and is not affected by the TOP content or by ageing. The acid value of the bitumen is proportional to the TOP content and is unaffected by ageing. TOP modified bitumen is compatible with kerosene and AGO in proportions commonly used during chipsealing. Although TOP had an adverse effect on the effectiveness of adhesion agents used during chipsealing, it improved the resistance of asphalt concrete to moisture damage. Because of its poor ageing characteristics, asphalt concrete manufactured using TOP modified bitumen is more likely to suffer from fatigue cracking and ravelling, but it less likely to rut or produce tender mixes. The use of TOP as a bitumen modifier in NewZealand is not recommended since it lacks both durability and compatibility with adhesion agents as required by the national bitumen specification. Future research should concentrate on improving the resistance of TOP modified bitumen to age hardening and improve its compatibility with adhesion agents. Keywords: Tall oil pitch, bitumen, asphalt, asphaltenes, ageing, oxidation, durability, GPC, confocal laser scanning microscopy, interfacial tension, adhesion

Does Interpersonal Psychotherapy improve clinical care for adolescents with depression attending a rural child and adolescent mental health service? Study protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility trial

Background: Depression amongst adolescents is a costly societal problem. Little research documents the effectiveness of public mental health services in mapping this problem. Further, it is not clear whether usual care in such services can be improved via clinician training in a relevant evidence based intervention. One such intervention, found to be effective and easily learned amongst novice clinicians, is Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT). The study described in the current paper has two main objectives. First, it aims to investigate the impact on clinical care of implementing Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents for the treatment of adolescent depression within a rural mental health service compared with Treatment as Usual (TAU). The second objective is to record the process and challenges (i.e. feasibility, acceptability, sustainability) associated with implementing and evaluating an evidence-based intervention within a community service. This paper outlines the study rationale and design for this community based research trial.Methods/design: The study involves a cluster randomisation trial to be conducted within a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in rural Australia. All clinicians in the service will be invited to participate.&nbsp; Participating clinicians will be randomised via block design at each of four sites to (a) training and delivery of IPT, or (b) TAU. The primary measure of impact on care will be a clinically significant change in depressive&nbsp; symptomatology, with secondary outcomes involving treatment satisfaction and changes in other symptomatology. Participating adolescents with significant depressive symptomatology, aged 12 to 18 years, will complete assessment measures at Weeks 0, 12 and 24 of treatment. They will also complete a depression inventory once a month during that period. This study aims to recruit 60 adolescent participants and their parent/guardian/s. A power analysis is not indicated as an intra-class correlation coefficient will be calculated and used to inform sample size calculations for subsequent large-scale trials. Qualitative data regarding process implementation will be collected quarterly from focus groups with participating clinicians over 18 months, plus phone interviews with participating adolescents and parent/guardians at 12 weeks and 24 weeks of treatment. The focus group qualitative data will be analysed using a Fourth Generation Evaluation methodology that includes a constant comparative cyclic analysis method.Discussion: This study protocol will be informative for researchers and clinicians interested in considering, designing and/or conducting cluster randomised trials within community practice such as mental health services.<br /

Child and Family Therapy Process: Concordance of Therapist and Observational Perspectives

The objective of this study is to examine the characteristics of outpatient mental health services delivered in community-based outpatient clinics, comparing information obtained from two different sources, therapists serving children and families, and observational coders viewing tapes of the same treatment sessions. Videotaped therapy sessions were rated by therapists and independent coders regarding goals and strategies pursued during each session. Sixty-three sessions were taped of outpatient care provided to 18 children and their caregivers by 11 therapists. Children were 4–13 years old and families were receiving services at least in part due to reported child behavior problems, confirmed by ratings from the Child Behavior Checklist and Conners Parent Rating Scale—Revised. Analyses assessed the frequency, type, and intensity of goals and strategies pursued in therapy sessions from both therapist and observational coders’ perspectives. Reliability of observer ratings and correspondence between therapist and observer reports were also examined. The reliability of observational coding of goals and strategies was moderate to good, with 76% of 39 codes having ICCs of .5 or greater. Therapists reported pursuing 2.5 times more goals and strategies per session, on average, than identified by observational coders. Correspondence between therapists and coders about the occurrence of specific goals and strategies in treatment sessions was low, with 20.5% of codes having a Kappa of .4 or higher. Substantial differences exist in what therapists and independent coders report as occurring in outpatient treatment sessions. Both perspectives suggest major differences between the content of services provided in community-based outpatient clinics and the structure of evidence-based programs, which emphasize intense pursuit of a small number of goals and strategies in each treatment session. Implications of the findings for quality improvement efforts in community-based mental health care settings are discussed

No Place Called Home: Life Quality and Purpose of Homeless Youths

Subjective quality of life (SQOL) has been reported to display remarkable resilience to objective circumstances. This is thought to derive from the capacity to interpret experience in positive ways, but is defeated by very adverse circumstances. This raises the question of whether such positive mental devices are able to adequately protect the SQOL of homeless youths, who typically face substantial objective trials. This study compares youths who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with youths living consistently with their families (control group). It was found that both the homeless and "at risk" youths reported significantly lower SQOL These youths also reported lower levels of personal meaning than the control group, and higher existential vacuum. Of the variables measured, personal meaning provided the strongest prediction of SQOL, challenging theories that would predict choice/responsibleness to provide the predominant contribution. Lack of differences in response between homeless and "at risk" youths suggests that subjective difficulties may precede homelessness rather than stem from it. A model is proposed to describe the possible factors involved in the maintenance and erosion of SQOL

Mademoiselle de Maupin

D’Albert fait ici le portrait de Théodore, un « jeune cavalier », il ne sait pas encore que c’est le travestissement de Madeleine de Maupin. « Il y a quelques femmes assez jolies et un ou deux jeunes gens assez aimables et fort gais&nbsp;; mais, dans tout cet essaim provincial, ce qui me charme le plus est un jeune cavalier qui est arrivé depuis deux ou trois jours&nbsp;; –&nbsp;il m’a plu tout d’abord, et je l’ai pris en affection, rien qu’à le voir descendre de son cheval. Il est impossible d’avoir meilleure grâce&nbsp;; il n’est pas très grand, mais il est svelte et bien pris dans sa taille&nbsp;; il a quelque chose de moelleux et d’onduleux dans la démarche et dans les gestes, qui est on ne peut plus agréable&nbsp;; bien des femmes lui envieraient sa main et son pied. Le seul défaut qu’il ait, c’est d’être trop beau et d’avoir des traits trop délicats pour un homme. Il est muni d’une paire d’yeux les plus beaux et les plus noirs du monde, qui ont une expression indéfinissable et dont il est difficile de soutenir le regard&nbsp;; mais, comme il est fort jeune et n’a pas d’apparence de barbe, la mollesse et la perfection du bas de sa figure tempèrent un peu la vivacité de ses prunelles d’aigle&nbsp;; ses cheveux bruns et lustrés flottent sur son cou en grosses boucles, et donnent à sa tête un caractère particulier. –&nbsp;Voilà donc enfin un des types de beauté que je rêvais réalisé et marchant devant moi&nbsp;! Quel dommage que ce soit un homme, ou quel dommage que je ne sois pas une femme&nbsp;!&nbsp;» Théophile Gautier, Mademoiselle de Maupin , chapitre V, 1835 -1836. >Texte intégral dans Gallica : Charpentier, 1878téléchargeabl

Harnessing the social capital of rural communities for youth mental health : An asset-based community development framework

In Australia, we are facing a period of mental health reform with the establishment of federally funded community youth services in rural areas of the country. These new services have great potential to improve the mental health of rural adolescents. In the context of this new initiative, we have four main objectives with this article. First, we consider the notion of social capital in relation to mental health and reflect on the collective characteristics of rural communities. Second, we review lessons learned from two large community development projects targeting youth mental health. Third, we suggest ways in which the social capital of rural communities might be harnessed for the benefit of youth mental health by using asset-based community development strategies and fourth, we consider the role that rural clinicians might play in this process.C