Structure and pressure drop of real and virtual metal wire meshes

An efficient mathematical model to virtually generate woven metal wire meshes is presented. The accuracy of this model is verified by the comparison of virtual structures with three-dimensional images of real meshes, which are produced via computer tomography. Virtual structures are generated for three types of metal wire meshes using only easy to measure parameters. For these geometries the velocity-dependent pressure drop is simulated and compared with measurements performed by the GKD - Gebr. Kufferath AG. The simulation results lie within the tolerances of the measurements. The generation of the structures and the numerical simulations were done at GKD using the Fraunhofer GeoDict software

The Network Structure of ICD-11 Disorders Specifically Associated with Stress: Adjustment Disorder, Prolonged Grief Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Introduction: The ICD-11 includes a new grouping for “disorders specifically associated with stress” that contains revised descriptions of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and adjustment disorder (AjD) and new diagnoses in the form of complex PTSD (CPTSD) and prolonged grief disorder (PGD). These disorders are similar in that they each require a life event for the diagnosis; however, they have not yet been assessed together for validity within the same sample. We set out to test the distinctiveness of the four main ICD-11 stress disorders using a network analysis approach. Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional design. A nationally representative sample of adults from the Republic of Ireland aged 18 years and older (N = 1,020) completed standardized measures of PTSD, CPTSD, AjD, and PGD. A network analysis was conducted at the symptom level. Outcome measures included the International Trauma Questionnaire, the Inventory of Complicated Grief, and the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire. Results: Consistent with the taxonomic structure of the ICD-11, our results showed that although the four conditions clustered independently at the disorder level, the specific symptoms of PTSD, CPTSD, PGD, and AjD clustered together very strongly but more strongly than with symptoms of the other disorders. The majority (61%) of the variation in each symptom could be explained by its neighboring symptoms. The strongest transdiagnostically connecting symptom was “startle response.” Discussion/Conclusion: Mental health professionals caring for people who have experienced a range of stressors and traumatic life events can be confident in diagnosing these conditions that have clear diagnostic boundaries. Interventions addressing stress-associated disorders should be based on diagnostic assessment to ensure close fit between symptoms and treatment

Distinguishing PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder: A latent class analysis

Background: There has been debate regarding whether Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (Complex PTSD) is distinct from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) when the latter is comorbid with PTSD. Objective: To determine whether the patterns of symptoms endorsed by women seeking treatment for childhood abuse form classes that are consistent with diagnostic criteria for PTSD, Complex PTSD, and BPD. Method: A latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted on an archival dataset of 280 women with histories of childhood abuse assessed for enrollment in a clinical trial for PTSD. Results: The LCA revealed four distinct classes of individuals: a Low Symptom class characterized by low endorsements on all symptoms; a PTSD class characterized by elevated symptoms of PTSD but low endorsement of symptoms that define the Complex PTSD and BPD diagnoses; a Complex PTSD class characterized by elevated symptoms of PTSD and self-organization symptoms that defined the Complex PTSD diagnosis but low on the symptoms of BPD; and a BPD class characterized by symptoms of BPD. Four BPD symptoms were found to greatly increase the odds of being in the BPD compared to the Complex PTSD class: frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, unstable sense of self, unstable and intense interpersonal relationships, and impulsiveness. Conclusions: Findings supported the construct validity of Complex PTSD as distinguishable from BPD. Key symptoms that distinguished between the disorders were identified, which may aid in differential diagnosis and treatment planning

Choice of control procedure for start-up, warm-up, idle speed and EGR of MPI spark ignition engine

W pracy przedstawiono przebieg i kryteria doboru algorytmów sterowania pracą silnika o zapłonie iskrowym, z wielopunktowym wtryskiem paliwa podczas rozruchu, nagrzewania i biegu jałowego. Przedstawiono bazowe algorytmy sterowania, struktury siatek oraz algorytmy sterowania po ostatecznej korekcie. Omówiono sposób postępowania przy opracowaniu algorytmów sterowania zaworem recyrkulacji spalin oraz kątem wyprzedzenia zapłonu w warunkach recyrkulacji spalin. Zaproponowano metodykę postępowania przy opracowaniu mikroprocesorowego systemu sterowania silnika podczas rozruchu, nagrzewania i biegu jałowego, w warunkach recyrkulacji spalin.In this study the criterions of choice of control procedure have been described. The procedures and operation of algorithms to control EGR valve and engine ignition timing have been proposed. The base algorithms of control, their structure grid and algorithms after final correction have been presented. The methodology of study to prepare ECM engine system for engine starting, warm-up, idle during EGR operational conditions have been discussed

A network analysis of anger, shame, proposed ICD-11 post-traumatic stress disorder, and different types of childhood trauma in foster care settings in a sample of adult survivors

Background: Anger and shame are aspects that are specifically associated with psychopathology and maladaptation after childhood abuse and neglect. They are known to influence symptom maintenance and exacerbation; however, their interaction is not fully understood. Objective: To explore with network analysis the association and interaction of prolonged, complex interpersonal childhood abuse and neglect in institutional foster care settings [institutional abuse (IA)] with anger, shame, and the proposed 11th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adult survivors. Method: Adult survivors of IA (N = 220, mean age = 57.95 years) participated in the study and were interviewed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the International Trauma Questionnaire, the State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory, the Displaced Aggression Questionnaire, and shame-related items. To identify the most central aspects, we used a staged network analysis and centrality analysis approach: (1) on the scale level; (2) on the item/symptom level; and (3) with modularity analysis to find communities within the item-level network. Results: Trait anger, anger rumination, emotional abuse, and PTSD re-experiencing symptoms played the most important roles on a scale level and were then further analyzed on the item/symptom level. The most central symptom on the item level was anger rumination related to meaningful past events. The modularity analysis supported discriminant validity of the included scales. Conclusions: Anger is an important factor in the psychopathological processes following childhood abuse. Anger rumination is closely related to PTSD symptoms; however, anger is not a part of the proposed ICD-11 PTSD in the present study

Thermal imaging in hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO)

Odpowiedź temperatury skóry na tlenową terapię hiperbaryczną dla grupy złożonej z 19 pacjentów (wiek 51š15) cierpiących na owrzodzenia troficzne podudzi badano z wykorzystaniem termowizji. Analizowano zmiany średniej temperatury w wybranych obszarach związanych z owrzodzeniami troficznymi na podudziach. Badania wykazały istotne statystycznie zmiany temperatury skóry, powodowane 86-minutowym pobytem w komorze hiperbarycznej. Zaobserwowano dwa rodzaje temperaturowej odpowiedzi na tlenoterapię hiperbaryczną. U większości pacjentów obserwowano spadek, jednakże u niektórych pacjentów zaobserwowano wzrost temperatury tkanki zmienionej chorobowo. Analiza wyników wskazuje, iż termowizja może być metodą przydatną w monitorowaniu efektów tlenoterapii hiperbarycznej.The skin temperature response to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a group of 19 patients and 6 volunteers in age 51š15 and 6 healthy was studied by using of the thermal imaging. All patients suffered from trophic ulceration of lower limbs. The mean temperature parameter derived from chosen areas and lines in the tibias were taken into consideration. The studies showed significant changes of skin temperature due to 86 minutes of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. There were observed two types of skin thermal behaviour. For most of the patients it was observed the decrease of tibia’s skin temperature however there were patients for whom the increase of skin temperature was observed. It seems that thermal imaging can be useful in monitoring of hyperbaric oxygen therapy effects

Structure and pressure drop of real and virtual metal wire meshes

An efficient mathematical model to virtually generate woven metal wire meshes is presented. The accuracy of this model is verified by the comparison of virtual structures with three-dimensional images of real meshes, which are produced via computer tomography. Virtual structures are generated for three types of metal wire meshes using only easy to measure parameters. For these geometries the velocity-dependent pressure drop is simulated and compared with measurements performed by the GKD - Gebr. Kufferath AG. The simulation results lie within the tolerances of the measurements. The generation of the structures and the numerical simulations were done at GKD using the Fraunhofer GeoDict software

PTSD in ICD-10 and proposed ICD-11 in elderly with childhood trauma: prevalence, factor structure, and symptom profiles

Background: The proposal for ICD-11 postulates major changes for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis, which needs investigation in different samples. Aims: To investigate differences of PTSD prevalence and diagnostic agreement between ICD-10 and ICD-11, factor structure of proposed ICD-11 PTSD, and diagnostic value of PTSD symptom severity classes. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis and latent profile analysis were used on data of elderly survivors of childhood trauma (>60 years, N=399). Results: PTSD rates differed significantly between ICD-10 (15.0%) and ICD-11 (10.3%, z=2.02, p=0.04). Unlike previous research, a one-factor solution of ICD-11 PTSD had the best fit in this sample. High symptom profiles were associated with PTSD in ICD-11. Conclusions: ICD-11 concentrates on PTSD's core symptoms and furthers clinical utility. Questions remain regarding the tendency of ICD-11 to diagnose mainly cases with severe symptoms and the influence of trauma type and participant age on the factor structure

Evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy effects in hard to heal wounds studied by thermal imaging and planimetry

Badania prowadzone w Centrum Leczenia Oparzeń w Siemianowicach Śląskich mają na celu wykorzystanie nieinwazyjnej techniki, jaką jest obrazowanie termograficzne w ocenie zmian mapy termicznej podudzi wskutek tlenoterapii hiperbarycznej. Ponadto w pracy skupiono się na próbie korelacji pomiędzy powierzchnią otrzymaną z badań planimetrycznych a obszarami izotermicznymi wynikającymi ze zmian metabolicznych tkanek miękkich. Grupa badawcza stanowiła 25 pacjentów (11 kobiet i 14 mężczyzn) cierpiących na trudno gojące się rany podudzi w wieku 65±17, leczonych za pomocą tlenoterapii hiperbarycznej. Każdy pacjent poddany był 30 zabiegom w komorze hiperbarycznej, gdzie pojedynczy zabieg trwał 86 minut. Obrazowanie termiczne wykonywano każdorazowo przed, jak i po pojedynczej sesji tlenoterapii. Otrzymane wyniki analizowano zarówno uwzględniając pojedyncze sesje w komorze hiperbarycznej, jak i biorąc pod rozważania pełny cykl leczenia, grupując wyniki pacjentów w poszczególnych okresach trwania całego cyklu: pierwsza część leczenia (0-10 zabiegów) – okres I, druga część (10-20) – II oraz trzecia część leczenia (20-30) – okres III. Przeprowadzone badania pokazały różnice w parametrach otrzymanych z pomiarów planimetrycznych oraz termicznych. Na podstawie otrzymanych wyników wydaje się, iż zastosowanie diagnostyki termowizyjnej w przypadku trudno gojących się ran podudzi może dać istotne informacje nie tylko w ocenie efektów leczenia, ale być może w kwalifikacji pacjentów do tlenoterapii hiperbarycznej. Nasuwa się również wniosek, aby połączyć obie techniki obrazowania, tak aby jednocześnie lekarz miał możliwość oceny rany zarówno na poziomie strukturalnym, jak i zasięgu intensywności procesów metabolicznych, gdyż obie techniki wydają się uzupełniać, co może nieść korzyści w procesie oceny stopnia rozwoju choroby.The research carried out at the Burn Treatment Center in Siemianowice Śląskie aims to use a non-invasive technique, which is thermographic imaging in assessing changes in the thermal map of hard-healing wounds of the lower leg under the influence of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In addition, a correlation is sought between the values obtained from planimetric studies with isothermal areas in the context of assessment of metabolic changes in soft tissues. The research group consisted of 25 patients (11 women and 14 men) suffering from poorly healing wounds in the age of 65 ± 17, treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Each patient underwent 30 treatments in a hyperbaric chamber, where a single operation lasted 86 minutes. Thermal imaging was performed each time before and after a single session of oxygen therapy. The obtained results were analyzed both taking into account individual sessions in the hyperbaric chamber and taking into consideration the full course of treatment, grouping the results of patients in individual periods of the whole cycle: first part of treatment (0-10 treatments) – period I, second part (10-20) – II and the third part of treatment (20-30) – period III. The conducted research showed differences in the parameters obtained from planimetric and thermal measurements. On the basis of the obtained results, it seems that the use of thermovision diagnostics in the case of venous leg ulcers can give important information not only in the assessment of treatment effects, but perhaps in the patients’ qualification for this type of therapy. It also comes to the conclusion that both imaging techniques should be combined so that at the same time the doctor can assess the wound both at the structural level and the extent of metabolic processes, as both techniques seem to complement each other, which may benefit the process of assessing the disease’s development