Hypergravity effects on glide arc plasma

The behaviour of a special type of electric discharge – the gliding arc plasma – has been investigated in hypergravity (1g –18g) using the Large Diameter Centrifuge (LDC) at ESA/ESTEC. The discharge voltage and current together with the videosignal from a fast camera have been recorded during the experiment. The gliding of the arc is governed by hot gas buoyancy and by consequence, gravity. Increasing the centrifugal acceleration makes the glide arc movement substantially faster. Whereas at 1g the discharge was stationary, at 6g it glided with 7 Hz frequency and at 18g the gliding frequency was 11 Hz. We describe a simple model for the glide arc movement assuming low gas flow velocities, which is compared to our experimental results

Improving health-related quality of life and reducing suicide in primary care: Can social problem–solving abilities help?

Problem-solving deficits and poor health–related quality of life are associated with suicide risk; yet, little is known about the interrelations between these variables. In 220 primary care patients, we examined the potential mediating role of physical and mental health–related quality of life on the relation between social problem–solving ability and suicidal behavior. Participants completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised, and Short-Form 36 Health Survey. Utilizing bootstrapped mediation, our hypotheses were partially supported; mediating effects were found for mental health–related quality of life on the relation between social problem-solving and suicidal behavior. Physical health–related quality of life was not a significant mediator. Greater social problem–solving ability is associated with better mental health–related quality of life and, in turn, to less suicidal behavior. Interventions promoting social problem–solving ability may increase quality of life and reduce suicide risk in primary care patients

General practitioners' views towards diagnosing and treating depression in five southeastern European countries.

From PubMed via Jisc Publications Router.Publication status: aheadofprintHistory: received 2017-06-06, revised 2018-06-11, accepted 2018-09-09Funder: National Institute of Health Fogarty International Center, Grants: ID43TW009122-01To assess and compare general practitioners' (GPs') views of diagnosing and treating depression in five southeastern European countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Albania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Serbia. The sample included 467 GPs who completed a hard-copy self-administered questionnaire, consisting of self-assessment questions related to diagnosing and treating depression. The most common barriers to managing depression in general practice reported by GPs were: patients' unwillingness to discuss depressive symptoms (92.3%); appointment time too short to take an adequate history (91.9%), barriers for prescribing appropriate treatment (90.6%); and patients' reluctance to be referred to a psychiatrist (89.1%). Most GPs (78.4%) agreed that recognizing depression was their responsibility, 71.7% were confident in diagnosing depression, but less than one-third (29.6%) considered that they should treat it. Improvements to the organization of mental healthcare in all five countries should consider better training for GPs in depression diagnosis and treatment; the availability of mental healthcare specialists at primary care level, with ensured equal and easy access for all patients; and the removal of potential legal barriers for diagnosis and treatment of depression. [Abstract copyright: © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.