Development of the pain-related beliefs and attitudes about sleep (PBAS) scale for the assessment and treatment of insomnia comorbid with chronic pain

Study Objectives Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep is a cognitive-behavioral factor central to the development and perpetuation of insomnia. Previous works to unravel the complex interrelationship between pain and insomnia have not explored the role of inflexible beliefs about the sleep-pain interaction, possibly due to a lack of a valid instrument for doing so. The current study evaluated the psychometric and functional properties of a 10-item Pain-Related Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (PBAS) scale. Methods The PBAS scale was administered to four clinical samples of chronic pain patients with comorbid insomnia: to examine the scale’s psychometric properties (n=137), test-retest reliability (n=26), sensitivity to treatment (n=20), and generalizability (n=62). All participants completed the PBAS together with validated measures of pain interference, insomnia severity, and cognitive-behavioral processes hypothesized to underpin insomnia. Results The PBAS scale was found to be reliable, with adequate internal consistency and temporal stability. Factor analysis suggested a 2-factor solution representing beliefs about “pain as the primary cause of insomnia” and the “inevitable consequences of insomnia on pain and coping”. The PBAS total score was positively correlated with scores from the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scale, Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS) scale, and the Anxiety and Preoccupation about Sleep Questionnaire (APSQ). It was a significant predictor of insomnia severity and pain interference. A significant reduction in PBAS was also observed in patients after receiving a hybrid cognitive-behavioral intervention for both pain and insomnia. Conclusions Pain-related sleep beliefs appear to be an integral part of chronic pain patients’ insomnia experience. The PBAS is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the role of these beliefs in chronic pain patients

Factors Affecting Ballability of Mixture Iron Ore Concentrates and Iron Oxide Bearing Wastes in Metallurgical Processing

Iron oxide bearing wastes (IOBS) are produced at every part of processing stage of sinter, molten iron and steel production. They are hard to handle and in many cases are stockpiled only to be a source of environmental pollution. However, they can be balled into pellets. Pellets characterized by good ballability values are transportable and recyclable as they can withstand stress without disintegrating back to dust. Yet, ballability is affected by certain factors like the grain sizes of the materials, the moisture and binder contents of the ball mix, wettability of the balled materials and the processing perimeters of the granulator. The objective of this research work is to investigate the factors affecting ballability of mixture of iron ore concentrates and iron oxide bearing wastes in metallurgical processing. The parameters under consideration were: grain size of materials, the moisture contents, speed of balling disc, IOBS and bentonite (binder) contents of the balled mix. The investigation was carried out by balling different volume fractions of mix containing iron oxide concentrate and IOBS using a balling disc and testing the resulting balls for green compressive strength using an universal testing machine. It was found that the ballability of the mixture of iron ore concentrate and IOBS increases as grain sizes of the materials reduce but increases as the moisture contents and IOBS content increase up to an optimum value of moisture content in the mix before it starts to reduce. The ballability also increases along with the speed of the granulator (balling disc) within the limit of this work. An increase in ballability with a slight raise in bentonite content in the mix was observed as well

Effect of TiC addition on the mechanical properties and microstructure of Al-Si alloy

This study is focused on the development and characterization of a stir cast Al-Si alloy reinforced with titanium carbide nano-particles. The composite was developed using the stir casting method and the casted samples were prepared with TiC nano-particle at 0.4 (B1), 0.8 (B2), 1.2 (B3), 1.6 (B4) and 2.0 (B5) wt. % of the entire composition, as well as a control sample, and thereafter subjected to tensile and hardness tests. It was noticed that none of the samples at the chosen concentrations brought about a greater hardness value than that of the control sample (Sample A), however they all show a positive trend with an increase in the % wt. of reinforcement bringing about a possibility of increase in the hardness value. This suggests that a further increase above 2.0% of the reinforcement should bring about an increase in hardness above that of the base Al-Si alloy. On the other hand, the tensile strength was significantly increased upon reinforcement. B5 exhibited the highest tensile strength by displaying a transition from needles/plate-like to globular/fibrous morphology

Investigation of Balling Characteristics of Mixture of Iron Oxide Bearing Wastes and Iron Ore Concentrates

Iron oxide bearing wastes in form of dust and sludges are hard to handle because of their micron size particles and moisture content in case of sludge. More often they are stockpiled in large quantities that can occupy large area of real and agricultural estates and cause pollution. Balling or palettization, an agglomeration process was used to process the wastes in order to address the problem of micron size particles and to make them fit for recycling back into metallic iron production route like blast furnace. Balling or green pelletization is the process of forming nearly spherical shaped granules by tumbling moistened particulates with or without binders in balling drums or discs disc. For a pellet to be effective either for being transported or for being recycled in blast furnace to produce metallic iron without disintegrating to dust its balling characteristics should measure up to required standard. Most outstanding of those balling characteristics include Drop Number, Green or Wet Compression Strength, Dry Compression Strength, Abrasion and Tumbler Indices. In this work iron oxide bearing wastes was mixed with iron ore concentrates in various proportions. These mixes were taken through balling or wet pelletization process using Radicon Balling Disc. The balls formed balls were taken through Drop number tests adopting the Free Fall method, where balls are made to fall freely from a height of 50 mm on steel surface, Green compression and Dry compression tests using a 5 kN Universal Testing Machine (INSTRON Corp., model 1011 UK) System while Abrasion and Tumbler indices tests were conducted using Tumbler Index cylinder or drum and adopting ASTM method. It was found that Drop number as high as 7.8 times, Green compression strength and Dry compression strength up to 11.7 N/pellet and 25.99 N/pellet respectively were attained by some of the pellets. The Tumbler and Abrasion indices recorded were up to above 95% and 5% respectively. These values are higher than the minimum recommende

Effects of Quenchants on Impact Strength of Single-Vee Butt Welded Joint of Mild Steel

The effects of quenching medium on the impact behaviour of mild steel welded joints were investigated, single – vee butt welded joint was employed in welding the samples. The welding was carried out at 100A and at a terminal voltage of 140V (14kW), using gauge 8 coated electrode (4mm size) throughout the welding processes. Four (4) quenching media were employed which are Brine solution (0.1 Molar concentration), two (2) Litres of water, two (2) Litres of diesel oil and abundant air. 8mm thick mild steel bars were used for the heat treatment process at variable annealed temperature steps of 2000C – 4000C – 6000C. The Izod impact machine was employed in carrying out the Impact Test. The results obtained from the test carried out show that quenching in brine solution gives least average impact strength while normalized in air gives highest average impact strength and is the mildest of all the quenchants. The overall results show that air was the best medium for quenching welded mild steel followed by diesel oil, then water and lastly brine solution for quenching welded parts or components under influence of impact or sudden loading. The results will enable engineers, welding personnel and roadside welders select the best and most economic quenchant that will be best suitable for quenching welded components or parts made of mild steel subjected to impact or shocking loadin

Evaluation of battery performance for solar mobile phone charger for rural dweller usage

This research is an initiative to improve the standard of living of rural dwellers and deprived settlements in a semi-urban location where epileptic power supply is predominant. The study is aimed at evaluating battery performance for the construction of a solar-powered mobile charger aimed at improving a steady power supply for electronic devices (phones, tablets, etc.), given the high and increased dependence on such devices in recent times. The solar-powered mobile charger was tested using various batteries available in the Nigerian market to determine the cheapest and most effective device to help rural dwellers. The constructed device was tested via its output voltage, current, time, and temperature. The results were subjected to further analysis by using Matlab and PVeducaction software for presentation and interpretation. The results of the analysis showed an efficiency value of seventy percent (70%) and a standard nominal voltage reading between 3.7 and 4.2 volts (V). The performance of the four batteries used affirmed its basic findings, however, Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) metal (Ni-MH) batteries showed stability among the batterires used. The study recommends the commercialization phase of the construction to improve the living standards of rural dwellers and deprived settlements in a semi-urban location

Biogas compression chamber from septic tank: Design and testing

Biogas has been noted as a steady rising source of sustainable energy, but very few are aware of its innate potential and how to efficiently harness its energy. So far, issues of sustainability have been solved via the use of human waste, which can never be depleted. The commercialization and adaptability of biogas from human waste depend on the adoption of the usual septic tank and an efficient technology to enhance biogas quality. In this project, the design and construction of an efficient biogas compression system were proposed. This system is meant to compress the biogas for storage and commercial activity. It was observed that the extraction and enhancement chambers of the construction had >60% improvement. It is recommended that further work be carried out on the full automation of the system proposed

Factors Affecting Ballability of Mixture Iron Ore Concentrates and Iron Oxide Bearing Wastes in Metallurgical Processing

Iron oxide bearing wastes (IROBEWAS) are produced at every segment of processing stage of sinter, molten iron and steel production. They are hard to handle and in many cases are stockpiled only to be a source of environmental pollution but can be balled into pellets. Pellet of good ballability values are transportable and recyclable as they can withstand stress they will encounter without disintegrating back to dust. But ballability is affected by some factors like the grain sizes of the materials, the moisture and binder contents of the ball mix, wettability of the balled materials and the processing perimeters of the granulator. The objective of this research work is to investigate the factors affecting ballability of mixture of iron ore concentrates and iron oxide bearing wastes (IROBEWAS) in metallurgical processing. The parameters under consideration were grain size of materials, the moisture contents, the speed of balling disc, IROBEWAS and Bentonite (Binder) contents of the balled mix. This was carried out by balling different volume fractions of mix containing iron oxide concentrate and IROBEWAS using a balling disc and testing the resulting balls for green compressive strength using universal testing machine. It was found that the ballability of the mixture of iron ore concentrate and IROBEWAS increases as grain sizes of the materials reduce but increases as the moisture contents and IROBEWAS content increase up to an optimum value of moisture content in the mix before it starts to reduce. The ballability also increases as the speed of the granulator (Balling disc) increases within the limit of this work. It was also observed that there was an increase in ballability with slight increase in bentonite content in the mix

Factors Affecting Ballability of Mixture Iron Ore Concentrates and Iron Oxide Bearing Wastes in Metallurgical Processing

Iron oxide bearing wastes (IROBEWAS) are produced at every segment of processing stage of sinter, molten iron and steel production. They are hard to handle and in many cases are stockpiled only to be a source of environmental pollution but can be balled into pellets. Pellet of good ballability values are transportable and recyclable as they can withstand stress they will encounter without disintegrating back to dust. But ballability is affected by some factors like the grain sizes of the materials, the moisture and binder contents of the ball mix, wettability of the balled materials and the processing perimeters of the granulator. The objective of this research work is to investigate the factors affecting ballability of mixture of iron ore concentrates and iron oxide bearing wastes (IROBEWAS) in metallurgical processing. The parameters under consideration were grain size of materials, the moisture contents, the speed of balling disc, IROBEWAS and Bentonite (Binder) contents of the balled mix. This was carried out by balling different volume fractions of mix containing iron oxide concentrate and IROBEWAS using a balling disc and testing the resulting balls for green compressive strength using universal testing machine. It was found that the ballability of the mixture of iron ore concentrate and IROBEWAS increases as grain sizes of the materials reduce but increases as the moisture contents and IROBEWAS content increase up to an optimum value of moisture content in the mix before it starts to reduce. The ballability also increases as the speed of the granulator (Balling disc) increases within the limit of this work. It was also observed that there was an increase in ballability with slight increase in bentonite content in the mix