The Gamma-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (GRIS): A new balloon-borne experiment for gamma-ray line astronomy

High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy is a relatively new field that holds great promise for further understanding of high energy astrophysical processes. When the high resolution gamma-ray spectrometer (GRSE) was removed from the GRO payload, a balloon program was initiated to permit continued development and improvement of instrumentation in this field, as well as continued scientific observations. The Gamma-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (GRIS) is one of the experiments selected as part of this program. The instrument contains a number of new and innovative features that are expected to produce a significant improvement in source location accuracy and sensitivity over previous balloon and satellite experiments

A coded aperture imaging system optimized for hard X-ray and gamma ray astronomy

A coded aperture imaging system was designed for the Gamma-Ray imaging spectrometer (GRIS). The system is optimized for imaging 511 keV positron-annihilation photons. For a galactic center 511-keV source strength of 0.001 sq/s, the source location accuracy is expected to be + or - 0.2 deg

Processes of Change in an Asthma Self-Care Intervention

The final version of this paper has been published in Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 23 (10), October 2013 by SAGE Publications Ltd, All rights reserved. © It is available at: http://qhr.sagepub.com/content/23/10/1419.longIn this article, we present a qualitative exploration of the psychological and communication processes that occur within an intervention to improve self-care for people with asthma. In the context of a primary-care-based trial of the intervention, we collected data at three time points for 21 patients, comprising 2 audiotaped consultations (nurse and patient together) and individual semistructured interviews 3 months after the second consultation. Using framework analysis, we identified both psychological processes (illness understanding, affective response to asthma, and reasoned motivation) and patientGÇôprovider interactions (active patient involvement and individual tailoring). We use these findings to extend and refine the pre-existing theoretical model of behavior change underpinning the intervention, in particular with relation to patientGÇôprovider interaction processes. We conclude that it is important for developers and providers of asthma self-care interventions to attend to the style of delivery as well as the behavior change techniques involved

Formal change impact analyses for emulated control software

Processor emulators are a software tool for allowing legacy computer programs to be executed on a modern processor. In the past emulators have been used in trivial applications such as maintenance of video games. Now, however, processor emulation is being applied to safety-critical control systems, including military avionics. These applications demand utmost guarantees of correctness, but no verification techniques exist for proving that an emulated system preserves the original system’s functional and timing properties. Here we show how this can be done by combining concepts previously used for reasoning about real-time program compilation, coupled with an understanding of the new and old software architectures. In particular, we show how both the old and new systems can be given a common semantics, thus allowing their behaviours to be compared directly

Desperately seeking a cure: Treatment seeking and appraisal in irritable bowel syndrome

© 2018 The British Psychological Society Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common and adversely affects patients' quality of life. Multiple potential treatment options exist for patients (and clinicians) to choose from, with limited evidence to inform treatment selection. The aim was to explore how patients with IBS go about seeking and appraising different treatment modalities, with a view to elucidating the psychological processes involved and identifying opportunities to improve clinical practice. Design: Qualitative study nested within a randomized controlled trial of therapist-delivered and web-based cognitive behavioural therapy versus treatment-as-usual for IBS. Methods: A total of 52 people participated in semi-structured interviews about their prior experiences of treatments for IBS. Transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Key themes (desperation for a cure, disappointment at lack of cure, appraising the effects of diverse treatments, and hope for positive effects) clustered around an overarching theme of being trapped within a vicious cycle of hope and despair on treatment seeking. A desperation and willingness drove interviewees to try any treatment modality available that might potentially offer relief. Coming to accept there is no cure for IBS helped interviewees escape the vicious cycle. Treatments were appraised for their effects on symptoms and quality of life while also considering, but rarely prioritizing, other aspects including convenience of the regimen itself, whether it addressed the perceived root causes of IBS, perceived side-effects, and cost. Conclusion: Treatment seeking in IBS can be challenging for patients. Supportive discussions with health care professionals about illness perceptions, treatment beliefs, and goals could improve patients' experiences. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent chronic relapsing functional gastrointestinal disorder. Studies show few treatment modalities provide complete symptom relief. IBS is associated with emotional and physical distress, and negatively impacts personal, social, and professional aspects of quality of life. What does this study add? Patients appraise IBS treatments for impact on quality of life and treatment characteristics. Developing acceptance and coping strategies helps escape treatment-seeking vicious cycles of hope and despair. Clinicians could better support patients by discussing their illness perceptions, treatment goals, and values

“I Keep Hearing Reports on the News That it's a Real Problem at the Moment”: Public Health Nurses’ Understandings of Sexting Practices Among Young People

Over the past decade, the potential harms regarding young people's use of technology have attracted mounting political, media and research attention worldwide. One practice engaged in by many young people is that of “sexting” and the sharing of partially, or complete nude images (“selfies”). Such images are not always retained within private spaces and are prone to be shared, with significant psychosocial consequences for young people involved. A significant risk is the hidden nature of some online interactions, with potential for grooming and child sexual exploitation. As key professionals working with young people, public health nurses have potential to educate and explore the risks with them. Yet to date, to our knowledge there has been no research in relation to public health nurses’ understandings of the practices involved or their potential harms. A qualitative study was undertaken drawing theoretically on the common‐sense model (CSM) to frame the analysis. Eighteen semi‐structured interviews were conducted with public health nurses in a region of England in 2016. Data were analysed through thematic analysis, and mapped to the five domains of CSM. Public health nurses’ understandings of young people's sexting practices were shaped largely by media reports, rather than scientific, disciplinary knowledge. Sexting did not resonate with many public health nurses’ own experiences of being a young person and was therefore difficult to understand. All were able to express an opinion about the causes and consequences of sexting and we present these as a “perceived hierarchy of risk”. All public health nurses acknowledged the importance of their role in dealing with harm reduction associated with sexting among young people, but they need education and support to do this effectively and confidently. Findings can be transferred carefully to many contexts and countries because sexting is a practice among young people that transcends geographical boundaries

Cognitive representations of disability behaviours in people with mobility limitations : consistency with theoretical constructs

Disability is conceptualised as behaviour by psychological theory and as a result of bodily impairment by medical models. However, how people with disabilities conceptualise those disabilities is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine disability representations in people with mobility disabilities. Thirteen people with mobility disabilities completed personal repertory grids (using the method of triads) applied to activities used to measure disabilities. Ten judges with expertise in health psychology then examined the correspondence between the elicited disability constructs and psychological and medical models of disability. Participants with mobility disabilities generated 73 personal constructs ofdisability. These constructs were judged consistent with the content of two psychological models, namely the theory of planned behaviour and social cognitive theory and with the main medical model of disability, the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health.Individuals with activity limitations conceptualise activities in a manner that is compatible with both psychological and medical models. This ensures adequate communication in contexts where the medical model is relevant, e.g. clinical contexts, as well as in everyday conversation about activities and behaviours. Finally, integrated models of disability may be of value for theory driven interdisciplinary approaches to disability and rehabilitation

Understanding young adults’ reasons for seeking ‘clinically unnecessary’ urgent and emergency care : a qualitative interview study

Background Studies have identified young adults as more likely to use emergency departments for ‘clinically unnecessary’ problems, with limited similar evidence for emergency ambulance use. Media portrayals depict young adults as motivated by ‘convenience’, but little research has explored the reasons for their help-seeking behaviour. Methods Qualitative interviews with 16 young adults (18-30) considered by clinicians to have made unnecessary use of emergency ambulance, emergency department or an urgent GP appointment. Data analysis was informed by interpretive phenomenological analysis. Findings A number of interrelated factors contributed to participants’ decisions. They were anxious about the seriousness of their symptoms, sometimes exacerbated by reduced coping capacity due to poor mental health or life stresses. They looked to others to facilitate their decision making, who sometimes encouraged urgent contact. They wanted to avoid impact on existing day-to-day commitments including work or study. They had strong views about different health services, sometimes based on frustration with lack of resolution of on-going health problems. Convenience was not identified as a significant factor, although some actions could be interpreted in this light if the context was not considered. Conclusions Young adults make ‘clinically unnecessary’ use of urgent and emergency care for more than convenience. Their decisions need to be understood in relation to the complexity of their experience, including lack of confidence in making health-related decisions, lowered coping capacity and concern to maintain normal daily life

Zika virus impairs the development of blood vessels in a mouse model of congenital infection

Zika virus (ZIKV) is associated with brain development abnormalities such as primary microcephaly, a severe reduction in brain growth. Here we demonstrated in vivo the impact of congenital ZIKV infection in blood vessel development, a crucial step in organogenesis. ZIKV was injected intravenously in the pregnant type 2 interferon (IFN)-deficient mouse at embryonic day (E) 12.5. The embryos were collected at E15.5 and postnatal day (P)2. Immunohistochemistry for cortical progenitors and neuronal markers at E15.5 showed the reduction of both populations as a result of ZIKV infection. Using confocal 3D imaging, we found that ZIKV infected brain sections displayed a reduction in the vasculature density and vessel branching compared to mocks at E15.5; altogether, cortical vessels presented a comparatively immature pattern in the infected tissue. These impaired vascular patterns were also apparent in the placenta and retina. Moreover, proteomic analysis has shown that angiogenesis proteins are deregulated in the infected brains compared to controls. At P2, the cortical size and brain weight were reduced in comparison to mock-infected animals. In sum, our results indicate that ZIKV impairs angiogenesis in addition to neurogenesis during development. The vasculature defects represent a limitation for general brain growth but also could regulate neurogenesis directly