The Depression: Online Therapy Study (D:OTS)—A Pilot Study of an Internet-Based Psychodynamic Treatment for Adolescents with Low Mood in the UK, in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Face-to-face therapy is unavailable to many young people with mental health difficulties in the UK. Internet-based treatments are a low-cost, flexible, and accessible option that may be acceptable to young people. This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of an English-language adaptation of internet-based psychodynamic treatment (iPDT) for depressed adolescents, undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Methods: A single-group, uncontrolled design was used. A total of 23 adolescents, 16–18 years old and experiencing depression, were recruited to this study. Assessments were made at baseline and end of treatment, with additional weekly assessments of depression and anxiety symptoms. Results: Findings showed that it was feasible to recruit to this study during the pandemic, and to deliver the iPDT model with a good level of treatment acceptability. A statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms and emotion dysregulation was found, with large effect size, by the end of treatment. Whilst anxiety symptoms decreased, this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: The findings suggest that this English-language adaptation of iPDT, with some further revisions, is feasible to deliver and acceptable for adolescents with depression. Preliminary data indicate that iPDT appears to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents

Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) for Clients with Complex and Enduring Difficulties within NHS Mental Health Services:A Case Series

Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for several mental health difficulties. However, its implementation in secondary mental health services in the National Health Service (NHS) is scarce. The aim of this study was to bridge the gap between controlled trials and practice-based evidence, by exploring an initial estimate of the therapeutic effects of this intervention as well as its safety in a secondary care NHS community mental health setting. Method: The study followed a quantitative case series design. Eight clients with complex, enduring mental health difficulties, supported by a community secondary mental health service received a course of STPP. They completed outcome measures at the start, at the end and eight-weeks following completion of therapy. Results: All participants but one completed the therapy and attendance rates were high (>75%). No adverse effects were reported. All participants but two reported improvement in the CORE-OM, BSI and the PHQ-9 and these were maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: The results suggested that STPP was a safe and acceptable intervention, that may have contributed to clinical and reliable improvement for 4 participants, non-reliable improvement for 2 and non-reliable deterioration for one participant who finished the treatment

Mechanical Properties of Al-Si-Mg Alloy Castings as a Function of Structure Refinement and Porosity Fraction

During design of the casting products technology, an important issue is a possibility of prediction of mechanical properties resulting from the course of the casting solidification process. Frequently there is a need for relations describing mechanical propertiesof silumin alloys as a function of phase refinement in a structure and a porosity fraction, and relations describing phase refinementin the structure and the porosity fraction as a function of solidification conditions. The study was conducted on castings of a 22 mm thick plate, made of EN AC-AlSi7Mg0,3 alloy in moulds: of quartz sand, of quartz sand with chill and in permanent moulds. On the basis of cooling curves, values of cooling rate in various casting parts were calculated. The paper also presents results of examination of distance between arms in dendrites of a solid solution α (DASL), precipitations length of silicon in an eutectic (DlSi) and gas-shrinkage porosity (Por) as a function of cooling rate. Statistical relations of DASL, DlSi, Por as a function of cooling rate and statistical multiparameter dependencies describing mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield strength, elongation) of alloy as a function of DASL, DlSi and Por are also presented in the paper

Mechanical properties of Al-Si-Mg alloy castings as a function of structure refinement and porosity fraction

During design of the casting products technology, an important issue is a possibility of prediction of mechanical properties resulting from the course of the casting solidification process. Frequently there is a need for relations describing mechanical properties of silumin alloys as a function of phase refinement in a structure and a porosity fraction, and relations describing phase refinement in the structure and the porosity fraction as a function of solidification conditions. The study was conducted on castings of a 22 mm thick plate, made of EN AC-AlSi7Mg0,3 alloy in moulds: of quartz sand, of quartz sand with chill and in permanent moulds. On the basis of cooling curves, values of cooling rate in various casting parts were calculated. The paper also presents results of examination of distance between arms in dendrites of a solid solution \alfa (DASL), precipitations length of silicon in an eutectic (DlSi) and gas-shrinkage porosity (Por) as a function of cooling rate. Statistical relations of DASL, DlSi, Por as a function of cooling rate and statistical multiparameter dependencies describing mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield strength, elongation) of alloy as a function of DASL, DlSi and Por are also presented in the paper

Early Modern Globalization and Infectious Diseases: Smallpox and Syphilis

Dr. Thomas Hajkowski discusses the spatialization of infectious disease and the impact of globalization on their spread. This lecture has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities CARES grant, “Humanities in the Time of COVID-19: Fostering Community Dialogue,” Award Number: AH-274885-20. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.https://digitalcommons.misericordia.edu/covid_humanities/1002/thumbnail.jp

Experimental and Simulation Tests on the Impact of the Conditions of Casting Solidification from AlSi9Cu3 Alloy on their Structure and Mechanical Properties

The impact of casting conditions on microstructure a and mechanical properties was described, especially for cast products from AlSi9Cu3 alloy. Particular attention was paid to the parameters of dendritic structure: DAS 1 and DAS 2. Selected mechanical properties (by static tension test) of test castings made using basic technologies of casting: GSC - gravity sand casting, GDC - gravity die-casting and HPDC - high-pressure die-casting, are presented for cast-on test bars and cast separately. Casts were made of the same alloy AlSi9Cu3. Fractures and the zone near the fracture (after static tension test) was subjected to VT - visual tests, PT - penetration tests and metallographic tests. The condition of porosity (fracture zone) was also assessed. The analysis of virtual results was performed using the NovaFlow & Solid system together with the database and they were compared to experimental tests. This way of validation was applied in order to assess the correlation between the local rate of cooling and the size of DAS for GSC, GDC and HPDC technologies. Finally, the correlation between the parameters of structure and mechanical properties with regard to the impact of porosity was signalized

Synergy of modeling processes in the area of soft and hard modeling

High complexity of production processes results in more frequent use of computer systems for their modeling and simulation. Process modeling helps to find optimal solution, verify some assumptions before implementation and eliminate errors. In practice, modeling of production processes concerns two areas: hard modeling (based on differential equations of mathematical physics) and soft (based on existing data). In the paper the possibility of synergistic connection of these two approaches was indicated: it means hard modeling support based on the tools used in soft modeling. It aims at significant reducing the time in order to obtain final results with the use of hard modeling. Some test were carried out in the Calibrate module of NovaFlow&Solid (NF&S) simulation system in the frame of thermal analysis (ATAS-cup). The authors tested output values forecasting in NF&S system (solidification time) on the basis of variable parameters of the thermal model (heat conduction, specific heat, density). Collected data was used as an input to prepare soft model with the use of MLP (Multi-Layer Perceptron) neural network regression model. The approach described above enable to reduce the time of production process modeling with use of hard modeling and should encourage production companies to use it

A Study of the Evaluation of Ego Capacity in Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) has developed as a form of intensive, focal psychodynamic psychotherapy with treatment applications across a range of mental health disorders. The concept of ‘ego capacity’ has a central place in STPP, based upon a core principle that accelerated treatment is enabled through working at an optimum level of a patient’s ego capacity. Precise evaluation of ego capacity is required to determine choice and application of treatment interventions. Theoretical underpinnings suggest change and improvement in ego capacity are expected during and at the end of treatment. Although core to theory and practice of STPP the evaluation of ego capacity has attracted limited research and remains difficult to undertake clinically. The study aimed to derive knowledge and understanding of the evaluation of ego capacity in the clinical practice of STPP. A five-stage ethnographic method was undertaken with an expert practitioner group. Interviews and analysis included video-based adapted Interpersonal Process Recall procedures. Informants were enlisted in reflexive analysis of their own data to uncover explicit and implicit practices and understandings used in routine evaluations of ego capacity. Ego and ego capacity were differentiated and described as units of knowledge. A framework for the evaluation of ego capacity was developed that comprises levels, dimensions and indictors used in the evaluation of ego capacity. Dimensions and indicators within the framework contained an observational focus used to differentiate between levels of evaluation of ego capacity. This development has implications for practice, theory and research