Inpatients’ perspectives of occupational therapy in acute mental health

Background Research into service users’ views of occupational therapy in acute mental health is extremely limited. This collaborative study between South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and Brunel University (UK) obtained inpatients’ perspectives of occupational therapy. Methods Service users and occupational therapists were involved in designing a self-report questionnaire and, following training, in recruiting participants and collecting data. Results Sixty-four (28.6%) inpatients responded and most had met an occupational therapist who had explained the purpose of their intervention. The most frequent group interventions were arts and crafts, relaxation, community meetings, cookery, sports and gym, with the latter two rated as most beneficial. There was much less choice about individual goals and interventions. A highly significant and positive correlation was found between occupational therapy meeting the needs of individuals and it improving their daily functioning and quality of their admission. Conclusions Occupational therapists need to provide more individual interventions and more fully involve inpatients in deciding on individual goals. Group interventions, which are meaningful, relevant and with an occupational focus, are most beneficial. Further research examining the effectiveness of cookery and sport and gym and establishing the benefits of engaging in group and individual intervention on acute wards is warranted

Supersymmetry in gauge theories with extra dimensions

We show that a quantum-mechanical N=2 supersymmetry is hidden in 4d mass spectrum of any gauge invariant theories with extra dimensions. The N=2 supercharges are explicitly constructed in terms of differential forms. The analysis can be extended to extra dimensions with boundaries, and for a single extra dimension we clarify a possible set of boundary conditions consistent with 5d gauge invariance, although some of the boundary conditions break 4d gauge symmetries.Comment: 18 page

Social Influencing and Associated Random Walk Models: Asymptotic Consensus Times on the Complete Graph

We investigate consensus formation and the asymptotic consensus times in stylized individual- or agent-based models, in which global agreement is achieved through pairwise negotiations with or without a bias. Considering a class of individual-based models on finite complete graphs, we introduce a coarse-graining approach (lumping microscopic variables into macrostates) to analyze the ordering dynamics in an associated random-walk framework. Within this framework, yielding a linear system, we derive general equations for the expected consensus time and the expected time spent in each macro-state. Further, we present the asymptotic solutions of the 2-word naming game, and separately discuss its behavior under the influence of an external field and with the introduction of committed agents

Spectroscopic infrared extinction mapping as a probe of grain growth in IRDCs

We present spectroscopic tests of MIR to FIR extinction laws in IRDC G028.36+00.07, a potential site of massive star and star cluster formation. Lim & Tan (2014) developed methods of FIR extinction mapping of this source using ${\it Spitzer}$-MIPS ${\rm 24\mu m}$ and ${\it Herschel}$-PACS ${\rm 70\mu m}$ images, and by comparing to MIR ${\it Spitzer}$-IRAC $3$--${\rm 8\mu m}$ extinction maps, found tentative evidence for grain growth in the highest mass surface density regions. Here we present results of spectroscopic infrared extinction (SIREX) mapping using ${\it Spitzer}$-IRS (14 to ${\rm 38\mu m}$) data of the same IRDC. These methods allow us to first measure the SED of the diffuse Galactic ISM that is in the foreground of the IRDC. We then carry out our primary investigation of measuring the MIR to FIR opacity law and searching for potential variations as a function of mass surface density within the IRDC. We find relatively flat, featureless MIR-FIR opacity laws that lack the $\sim{\rm 12\mu m}$ and $\sim{\rm 35\mu m}$ features associated with the thick water ice mantle models of Ossenkopf & Henning (1994). Their thin ice mantle models and the coagulating aggregate dust models of Ormel et al. (2011) are a generally better match to the observed opacity laws. We also find evidence for generally flatter MIR to FIR extinction laws as mass surface density increases, strengthening the evidence for grain and ice mantle growth in higher density regions.Comment: 12 pages, 12 Figures, 1 Table, Accepted to be published to Ap

Electron Temperature of Ultracold Plasmas

We study the evolution of ultracold plasmas by measuring the electron temperature. Shortly after plasma formation, competition between heating and cooling mechanisms drives the electron temperature to a value within a narrow range regardless of the initial energy imparted to the electrons. In agreement with theory predictions, plasmas exhibit values of the Coulomb coupling parameter $\Gamma$ less than 1.Comment: 4 pages, plus four figure