The Detection Of Malingered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder With The Cap-Q And Traumatic Events Inventory

The feigning of psychiatric symptoms is of great concern in both clinical and forensic settings. Therefore, it is crucial to develop reliable and valid measures that are not only diagnostically valid but also allow for the detection of individuals who are attempting to exaggerate illness in order to receive monetary compensation or escape duty or work. The present study was initiated so as to assess the psychometric properties of a new measure for the assessment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the A-PTSD Scale. This 35-item self-report measure relies on the DSM-V criteria and employs indirect questioning as well as reversed items to provide more security against the feigning of symptoms. The A-PTSD scale utilizes two subscales: the primary PTSD scale which provides a total score, and a resiliency scale. The resiliency scale is intended to work as both a prognostic measure and a validity scale. Namely, there is ample research showing that individuals with such traits can successfully recover from adverse experiences. As such, they are less likely to suffer from long-term chronic PTSD symptoms. Given that stand-alone PTSD measures are impacted by confirmatory bias the A-PTSD scale was intended to be embedded within the 148-item CAP-Q, a multiscale self-report measure that includes its own traditional validity scales. The results of the study show that A-PTSD psychometric properties are not impacted by being embedded within the CAP-Q. It also had comparable reliability with existing PTSD measures and was able to discriminate between PTSD simulators and non-simulators, correlated with cognitive measures of effort. Overall, the A-PTSD appears to have incremental utility over traditional measures, although additional studies using clinical populations are recommended prior to adapting measure into clinical practice

A 3-component laser-Doppler velocimeter data acquisition and reduction system

A laser doppler velocimeter capable of measuring all three components of velocity simultaneously in low-speed flows is described. All the mean velocities, Reynolds stresses, and higher-order products can be evaluated. The approach followed is to split one of the two colors used in a 2-D system, thus creating a third set of beams which is then focused in the flow from an off-axis direction. The third velocity component is computed from the known geometry of the system. The laser optical hardware and the data acquisition electronics are described in detail. In addition, full operating procedures and listings of the software (written in BASIC and ASSEMBLY languages) are also included. Some typical measurements obtained with this system in a vortex/mixing layer interaction are presented and compared directly to those obtained with a cross-wire system

Physics of windblown particles

A laboratory facility proposed for the Space Station to investigate fundamental aspects of windblown particles is described. The experiments would take advantage of the environment afforded in earth orbit and would be an extension of research currently being conducted on the geology and physics of windblown sediments on earth, Mars, and Venus. Aeolian (wind) processes are reviewed in the planetary context, the scientific rational is given for specific experiments to be conducted, the experiment apparatus (the Carousel Wind Tunnel, or CWT) is described, and a plan presented for implementing the proposed research program

Radar-aeolian roughness project

The objective is to establish an empirical relationship between measurements of radar, aeolian, and surface roughness on a variety of natural surfaces and to understand the underlying physical causes. This relationship will form the basis for developing a predictive equation to derive aeolian roughness from radar backscatter. Results are given from investigations carried out in 1989 on the principal elements of the project, with separate sections on field studies, radar data analysis, laboratory simulations, and development of theory for planetary applications

On the application of a nature-inspired stochastic evolutionary algorithm to constrained multi-objective beer fermentation optimisation

Fermentation is an essential step in beer brewing, often acting as the system bottleneck due to the time-consuming nature of the process stage (duration >120 h), where a trade-off exists between attainable ethanol concentration and required batch time. To explore this trade-off we employ a multi-objective plant propagation algorithm (the Strawberry algorithm), for identifying temperature manipulations for improved fermentation performance. The methodology employed successfully produces families of favourable temperature profiles which exist along the Pareto front. A subset of these output profiles can simultaneously reduce batch time and increase product ethanol concentration while satisfying constraints on by-products produced in the fermenters, representing significant improvements in comparison with current industrial practice. A potential batch time reduction of over 12 h has been highlighted, coupled with a moderate improvement in ethanol content

Ischemic Colitis Secondary to Ergotamine Use: A Case Study

A 48-year-old woman with a history of chronic migraines, initially admitted for inpatient management of intractable migraine headaches, developed new onset abdominal pain, hypotension, and diarrhea on hospital day number ten. In our institution's headache unit, patients are treated by a multidisciplinary approach, including individualized drug therapy based on diagnosis and previous response to therapy. Given the patient's hypotension and clinical appearance, she was transferred to the intensive care unit and treated for septic shock and metabolic acidosis. A bedside colonscopy revealed diffuse ischemic colitis. Final pathology after colon resection showed widespread, transmural necrosis of the colonic wall. We review the pathophysiology of ergotamine use and its potential association with ischemic colitis

Biobehavioral effects of Tai Chi Qigong in men with prostate cancer: Study design of a three-arm randomized clinical trial.

Fatigue is often one of the most commonly reported symptoms in prostate cancer survivors, but it is also one of the least understood cancer-related symptoms. Fatigue is associated with psychological distress, disruptions in sleep quality, and impairments in health-related quality of life. Moreover, inflammatory processes and changes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and/or autonomic nervous system may also play a role in cancer-related fatigue. Thus, effective treatments for fatigue in prostate cancer survivors represent a current unmet need. Prior research has shown that Tai Chi Qigong, a mind-body exercise intervention, can improve physical and emotional health. Herein, we describe the protocol of the ongoing 3-arm randomized controlled Health Empowerment & Recovery Outcomes (HERO) clincal trial. One hundred sixty-six prostate cancer survivors with fatigue are randomized to a modified Tai Chi Qigong intervention (TCQ), intensity-matched body training intervention (BT), or usual care (UC) condition. Guided by biopsychosocial and psychoneuroimmunology models, we propose that TCQ, as compared to BT or UC will: i) reduce fatigue (primary outcome) in prostate cancer survivors; ii) reduce inflammation; and iii) regulate the expression of genes from two major functional clusters: a) inflammation, vasodilation and metabolite sensing and b) energy and adrenergic activation. Assessments are conducted at baseline, the 6-week midpoint of the intervention, and 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months post-intervention. If our findings show that TCQ promotes recovery from prostate cancer and its treatment, this type of intervention can be integrated into survivorship care plans as the standard of care. The study's findings will also provide novel information about underlying biobehavioral mechanisms of cancer-related fatigue. Trial registration number:NCT03326713; clinicaltrials.gov