The determinants of coping with pain in chronically ill geriatric patients – the role of a sense of coherence

Anna Andruszkiewicz,1 Małgorzata Anna Basińska,2 Mirosława Felsmann,3 Mariola Banaszkiewicz,4 Alicja Marzec,3 Kornelia Kędziora-Kornatowska5 1Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, 2Department of Psychopathology and Clinical Diagnosis, Institute of Psychology, Kazimierz Wielki University, 3Department of Nursing, 4Department of Postgraduate Education, 5Department and Clinic of Geriatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Bydgoszcz, Poland Background: Given the rising population of the elderly in modern societies, the concern for their good functioning poses a challenge for the 21st century medicine and social services. Senior citizens are at an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, which in turn increase discomfort associated with physiological processes of aging. Sensations of pain have a particular influence on the mentioned discomfort, and pain is prevalent among older people. Therefore, from the perspective of an elderly person and senior care, it is crucial to identify determinants of effective coping with chronic pain. Objectives: The aim of the research was to assess the relationship between a sense of coherence (SOC) and pain-coping strategies in chronically ill seniors. A total number of 188 individuals were included in the study, of whom 117 were female subjects and 71 were male subjects, with a mean age of 68.38 (standard deviation [SD] =6.35) years in the studied group. Subjects were sampled based on a diagnosis of a chronic medical illness with chronic pain as one of the major symptoms. Methods: The Polish adaptation of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29) to assess an SOC, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) to assess pain-coping strategies, and the visual analog scale (VAS) to assess pain intensity were used in the study. Results and conclusion: The mean score of respondents’ SOC was 133.44 (SD =24.35). Among most common pain-coping strategies used by the respondents were prayer and hope, and the declaration of coping with pain while redefining pain was the least often used coping strategy in the studied group. Individuals with stronger SOC were less prone to catastrophizing and more often declared that they were coping with and could control and reduce pain. Keywords: chronic pain, pain-coping strategies, sense of coherence, older person

Catalysts for conversion of synthesis gas

A more comprehensive exploitation of biosources could be assured by the conversion of biofuels to valuable chemicals. The syngas, obtained by hydrocarbons reforming process, represents the most important reactants mixture for other processes devoted to the production of methanol, higher hydrocarbons (Fischer-Tropsch synthesis), and ammonia.The first two processes are very similar, since they involved main components of syngas in exothermic processes in which a more complex compound is achieved; they are promoted at high pressure and low temperature, for which anyway other side reactions occur (mainly methanation), and each reaction could be considered side-reaction for the other. Such observation remarks the relevance of the catalytic system that should enable desired reactions in the selected operating system. In particular, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is widely carried out on cobalt-based catalysts at low temperature, achieving long-chain hydrocarbons as main products; conversely, if low chain is preferred, iron-based catalyst could be employed. Methanol catalysts were effectively developed in the 1960s, in which Cu-ZnO-based formulations appeared very promising both in terms of activity and selectivity.Ammonia synthesis utilized hydrogen obtained by syngas purification (WGS, PROX, and PSA), reducing nitrogen to NH3: such process is thermodynamically promoted at low temperature and high pressure. Iron catalysts are currently used in industrial plants. For all these processes, the very high operating pressure was reflected in a limited catalyst lifetime, so nowadays, studies are focusing in the ability to enlarge catalyst lifetime, by doping active phases or supports.Globally, the exothermic nature of these processes suggests to investigate the effect of highly thermal conductive structured carrier, in order to have a better thermal management in the catalytic volume that could reduce hot spot risks and in turn assure a more stable behavior