4,368 research outputs found
Soil Properties and their Influence on Grassland Production under Low Input and Organic Farming Conditions
End of project reportThis project set out to identify soil properties that most influence grassland production under low mineral nitrogen input conditions. Sixteen farms were selected in Counties Limerick and Clare and the soil sampled. Soil physical and chemical characteristics and soil biological aspects involved in the carbon and nitrogen cycles were studied in the laboratory. Nutrient additions to farms as well as the nature of grazing by livestock (numbers, types of grazing animals, grazing practices), grassland management, and production from the farms were recorded
Exploring joint hypermobility syndrome, developmental coordination disorder and pain
INTRODUCTION
Floppy, clumsy, hypermobile children are increasingly referred to occupational and physical therapy under the label of dyspraxia. Motor impairments associated with the umbrella diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have been reported as persisting into adolescence and adulthood and subsequently affecting functional abilities (Cousins and Smyth 2003). Within this heterogeneous condition the underlying mechanisms causing the motor difficulties remains unclear. Ayers (1985) hypothesised that some individuals might have somatosensory processing issues contributing to their poor motor planning and coordination difficulties.
Similarities in functional difficulties have been noted in children with a diagnosis of DCD and joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS) (Kirby and Davies 2006). There is limited understanding of the relationship between the two conditions. JHS is a multisystemic inherited connective tissue disorder, in which hypermobile joints, pain, clumsiness, poor proprioception and dislocations are familiar features (Grahame and Hakim 2006; Adib et al 2005). It has been suggested that adults with JHS show poor movement patterns which contribute to biomechanical dysfunction and continuing pain (Clark et al 2009). Pain and disability reported in adults with JHS often leads to anxiety, depression, work incapacity and social isolation (Grahame and Hakim 2006).
The purpose of this study was to explore the association between adults with JHS and DCD and long term pain.
METHODOLOGY/ METHODS
A mixed methods design influenced by a pragmatic paradigm was utilised.
Subjects: 90 patients with JHS (18-65 years) recruited from a hypermobility clinic were compared, using a questionnaire, with 113 healthy volunteers (18-65 years) with no pain recruited from a university.
Analysis: Quantitative data were described and examined by regression, odds ratios were calculated. Qualitative data was analysed thematically
FINDINGS
The percentage of subjects who reported DCD in patients with JHS and healthy volunteers were 56% and 19% respectively. A significant association between patients with JHS and DCD was noted, chi square = 30.11, p < .001. Patients with JHS were 6 times [95% CI 2.9 – 10.3] more likely to report DCD than healthy volunteers. Pain was a significant feature with an average of 9.8 pain sites reported (out of a total of 17). Open ended questions revealed many patients recalling pain starting in early childhood and adolescence.
DISCUSSION
These results suggest a significant association between patients with JHS and DCD and the reporting of long term pain. Early recognition and understanding of the needs of children with DCD who present with somatosensory impairment, pain modulation and JHS is therefore essential. Sensory integration therapy as part of a comprehensive early intervention program has the potential to mitigate long term problems. A multidisciplinary approach which involves health professionals and teachers is also recommended.
CONCLUSION
This research may be considered an early step in the identification of an association of DCD and JHS. Further studies are required to explore somatosensory processing issues experienced by those with DCD and JHS as this might be an important underlying mechanism
Principal 2-bundles and their gauge 2-groups
In this paper we introduce principal 2-bundles and show how they are
classified by non-abelian Cech cohomology. Moreover, we show that their gauge
2-groups can be described by 2-group-valued functors, much like in classical
bundle theory. Using this, we show that, under some mild requirements, these
gauge 2-groups possess a natural smooth structure. In the last section we
provide some explicit examples.Comment: 40 pages; v3: completely revised and extended, classification
corrected, name changed, to appear in Forum Mat
Crossed Module Bundle Gerbes; Classification, String Group and Differential Geometry
We discuss nonabelian bundle gerbes and their differential geometry using
simplicial methods. Associated to any crossed module there is a simplicial
group NC, the nerve of the 1-category defined by the crossed module and its
geometric realization |NC|. Equivalence classes of principal bundles with
structure group |NC| are shown to be one-to-one with stable equivalence classes
of what we call crossed module gerbes bundle gerbes. We can also associate to a
crossed module a 2-category C'. Then there are two equivalent ways how to view
classifying spaces of NC-bundles and hence of |NC|-bundles and crossed module
bundle gerbes. We can either apply the W-construction to NC or take the nerve
of the 2-category C'. We discuss the string group and string structures from
this point of view. Also a simplicial principal bundle can be equipped with a
simplicial connection and a B-field. It is shown how in the case of a
simplicial principal NC-bundle these simplicial objects give the bundle gerbe
connection and the bundle gerbe B-field
Higher-dimensional Algebra and Topological Quantum Field Theory
The study of topological quantum field theories increasingly relies upon
concepts from higher-dimensional algebra such as n-categories and n-vector
spaces. We review progress towards a definition of n-category suited for this
purpose, and outline a program in which n-dimensional TQFTs are to be described
as n-category representations. First we describe a "suspension" operation on
n-categories, and hypothesize that the k-fold suspension of a weak n-category
stabilizes for k >= n+2. We give evidence for this hypothesis and describe its
relation to stable homotopy theory. We then propose a description of
n-dimensional unitary extended TQFTs as weak n-functors from the "free stable
weak n-category with duals on one object" to the n-category of "n-Hilbert
spaces". We conclude by describing n-categorical generalizations of deformation
quantization and the quantum double construction.Comment: 36 pages, LaTeX; this version includes all 36 figure
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Goal-Focused Emotion-Regulation Therapy (GET) for young adult survivors of testicular cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial of a biobehavioral intervention protocol.
BackgroundTesticular cancer diagnosis and treatment, especially given its threat to sexuality and reproductive health, can be distressing in the formative period of young adulthood and the majority of young survivors experience impairing, distressing, and modifiable adverse outcomes that can persist long after medical treatment. These include psychological distress, impairment in pursuit of life goals, persistent physical side effects, elevated risk of secondary malignancies and chronic illness, and biobehavioral burden (e.g., enhanced inflammation, dysregulated diurnal stress hormones). However, few targeted interventions exist to assist young survivors in renegotiating life goals and regulating cancer-related emotions, and none focus on reducing the burden of morbidity via biobehavioral mechanisms. This paper describes the methodology of a randomized controlled biobehavioral trial designed to investigate the feasibility and preliminary impact of a novel intervention, Goal-focused Emotion-Regulation Therapy (GET), aimed at improving distress symptoms, emotion regulation, goal navigation skills, and stress-sensitive biomarkers in young adult testicular cancer patients.MethodsParticipants will be randomized to receive six sessions of GET or Individual Supportive Therapy (ISP) delivered over 8 weeks. In addition to indicators of intervention feasibility, we will measure primary (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and secondary (emotion regulation and goal navigation skills, career confusion) psychological outcomes prior to (T0), immediately after (T1), and 12 weeks after (T2) intervention. Additionally, identified biomarkers will be measured at baseline and at T2.DiscussionGET may have the potential to improve self-regulation across biobehavioral domains, improve overall cancer adjustment, and address the need for targeted supportive care interventions for young adult cancer survivors.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT04150848. Registered on 28 October 2019
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