Cognitive Group Therapy for Test Anxiety

Test anxiety is a major problem that affects students academic, vocational and emotional state and several treatment strategies have been developed and applied. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the efficacious treatments for test anxiety, but we know little about whether cognitive or behavioral techniques (or both) are effective. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of cognitive techniques without behavioral interventions. The study was carried out with 38 individual who complained of test anxiety and were divided into four groups. Six 90 min sessions of cognitive group therapy is applied weekly. Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire (RTSQ) and Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) were given to attendants. There was statistically significant difference between first and last evaluation of mean rank of BAI total and its cognitive and somatic subscales, ATQ and STAI-II. There was no significant difference for mean rank of STAI-I and RTSQ total scores. Statistically significant difference was found between first and last evaluation of total TAI and 3 subscales of TAI which were Others opinions, Worry about future, Worry about preparation and unspecified test anxiety. Cognitive techniques are effective for treatment of test anxiety even without behavioral interventions. However, its effect on self-related perception componenet of test anxiety and ruminative response styles is uncertain. Adding behavioral interventions to cognitive techniques may increase the efficacy of treatment for test anxiety. [JCBPR 2016; 5(1.000): 28-37

High-performance supercapacitor electrolytes based on high-mole-ratio phosphoric acid/lauryl ether surfactant liquid crystalline gel

Proton-conducting gel electrolytes offer significant advantages for supercapacitors. Among various acids, phosphoric acid (H3PO4·H2O, PA) has the highest proton conductivity for use as a supercapacitor electrolyte. Compared with commonly used acidic and basic electrolytes (H2SO4 and KOH), a high specific capacitance of approximately 620 F g−1 was attained for PA under 0.1 A g−1 test conditions in combination with a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) symmetric electrode. Moreover, the PA electrolyte was further improved by confining it to a liquid crystal (LC) gel matrix. PA and a non-ionic surfactant (lauryl ether, C12H25[OCH2CH2]10OH) were used to form LC gels with PA:NI mole ratios 60 to 100:1, which had viscosity values in 800 to 5500 mPa s−1 range at a shear rate of 100 s−1 and provided a high gravimetric specific capacitance of approximately 1128 F g−1 when tested at 0.1 A g−1 with an rGO symmetric electrode. The mesophase of the LC gel at each PA:NI mole ratio was comprehensively analyzed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and polarized optical microscopy (POM) to confirm that the mesostructure was responsible for the high specific capacitance. The electrochemical performance was studied using electrochemical methods and galvonastatic charge/discharge tests. Furthermore, to increase the energy density of supercapacitors, focusing on automotive applications, this LC gel electrolyte could be used in an asymmetrical pseudocapacitor design

Understanding the role of water in the lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophase of high-performance flexible supercapacitor electrolytes using a rheological approach

The effect of water on the structure, properties, and flexibility of lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) C12E23-LiCl-H2O gel electrolytes was explored. Structural techniques, such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM), and five dynamic measurements, were employed to examine the rheological properties of the LLC mesophase across various water contents. These analyses provided quantitative insights into the influence of water content and LiCl concentration on gel strength, gelation point, and structural recovery. The three-dimensional network of the gel encapsulates Li+ and Cl− ions within hydrophilic domains, showing significant performance in supercapacitor applications. The observed increase in storage modules with decreasing water content is attributed to variations in the quantity and average size of junction points owing to system entanglement. These research findings highlight that excess water molecules, which break down micellar connections, are responsible for the weakening of the gel. Conversely, at low water concentrations, the micellar domains entangle, displaying viscoelastic behavior akin to that of a transitory polymer network

Reliability of Intravitreal Nepafenac in Rabbits

WOS: 000347391500008PubMed ID: 25285465Purpose: The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the possible toxic effects of Nepafenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory molecule, after its intravitreal application in various concentrations. Methods: Forty pigmented rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups, each including 10 rabbits. The active ingredient Nepafenac was prepared to be applied in different doses, for intravitreal use. Under topical anesthesia, following pupil dilatation, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.5 mg doses of Nepafenac was applied intravitreally into the right eye. In each rabbit, the right eye was considered to be the study group. Saline was injected intravitreally into the left eye of each rabbit, and these eyes were considered to be the control group. Immediately after the injection and at the 1st, 4th, and 8th weeks, fundus examination by indirect ophthalmoscopy and intraocular pressure measurement were conducted. Furthermore, electroretinographic (ERG) recordings were taken at the 4th and 8th weeks. At the end of the 8th week, eyes of the surviving 26 rabbits were enucleated, and then animals were sacrificed. Following necessary fixation procedures, histopathological investigations were conducted by using a light and electron microscope. In the histological cross sections, differences between the eyes with injection and the control group were evaluated, and total retinal thickness, inner nuclear layer thickness, and outer nuclear layer thickness were measured. Results: No pathology was found by clinical examination of either group. In the photopic and scotopic full-field ERG, conducted before the injection and in the 4th and 8th weeks after the injection, no statistically significant difference was determined between the study group and the control group. In the histological evaluation of the preparations, there were no statistically significant differences in the retina thickness of control and study groups. In the electron microscopic examinations, there were no toxicity findings in the eyes with injection. Conclusions: Our data show that intravitreal application of 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.5 mg doses of Nepafenac active substance is nontoxic to the rabbit retina.Ege University Research FoundationEge UniversitySupport for this study was provided by the Ege University Research Foundation