5,273 research outputs found
A randomised controlled pilot study: the effectiveness of narrative exposure therapy with adult survivors of the Sichuan earthquake
Background: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common psychological reaction after large-scale natural disasters. Given the number of people involved and shortage of resources in any major disaster, brief, pragmatic and easily trainable interventions are needed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) as a short-term treatment for PTSD using Chinese earthquake survivors.
Methods: A randomized waiting-list control pilot study was conducted between December 2009 and March 2010, at the site of the Sichuan earthquake in Beichuan County, China. Adult participants with newly diagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were randomly allocated to Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) or a Waiting-List (WL) condition. The latter received NET treatment after a two-week waiting period. To compare the effectiveness of NET in traumatised earthquake survivors, both groups were assessed on PTSD symptoms, general mental health, anxiety and depression, social support, coping style and posttraumatic change before and after treatment and two months post treatment.
Results: Adult participants (n=22) were randomly allocated to receive NET (n=11) or WL (n=11). Twenty two participants (11 in NET group, 11 in WL) were included in the analysis of primary outcomes. Compared with WL, NET showed significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, anxiety and depression, general mental stress and increased posttraumatic growth. The WL group later showed similar improvements after treatment. These changes remained stable for a two-month follow-up. Measures of social support and coping showed no stable effects.
Conclusions: NET is effective in treating post-earthquake traumatic symptoms in adult Chinese earthquake survivors. The findings help advance current knowledge in the management of PTSD after natural disasters and inform future research. Larger sample sizes are needed to extend the present findings
Short form of the changes in outlook questionnaire: translation and validation of the Chinese version
Background: The Changes in Outlook Questionnaire (CiOQ) is a self-report instrument designed to measure both positive and negative changes following the experience of severely stressful events. Previous research has focused on the Western context. The aim of this study is to translate the short form of the measure (CiOQ-S) into simplified Chinese and examine its validity and reliability in a sample of Chinese earthquake survivors.
Method: The English language version of the 10-item CiOQ was translated into simplified Chinese and completed along with other measures in a sample of earthquake survivors (n = 120). Statistical analyses were performed to explore the structure of the simplified Chinese version of CiOQ-S (CiOQ-SCS), its reliability and validity.
Results: Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted to test the structure of the CiOQ-SCS. The reliability and convergent validity were also assessed. The CiOQ-SCS demonstrated a similar factor structure to the English version, high internal consistency and convergent validity with measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety and depression, coping and social support.
Conclusion: The data are comparable to those reported for the original version of the instrument indicating that the CiOQ-SCS is a reliable and valid measure assessing positive and negative changes in the aftermath of adversity. However, the sampling method cannot permit us to know how representative our samples were of the earthquake survivor population
Preconditioners for the spectral multigrid method
The systems of algebraic equations which arise from spectral discretizations of elliptic equations are full and direct solutions of them are rarely feasible. Iterative methods are an attractive alternative because Fourier transform techniques enable the discrete matrix-vector products to be computed with nearly the same efficiency as is possible for corresponding but sparse finite difference discretizations. For realistic Dirichlet problems preconditioning is essential for acceptable convergence rates. A brief description of Chebyshev spectral approximations and spectral multigrid methods for elliptic problems is given. A survey of preconditioners for Dirichlet problems based on second-order finite difference methods is made. New preconditioning techniques based on higher order finite differences and on the spectral matrix itself are presented. The preconditioners are analyzed in terms of their spectra and numerical examples are presented
Resolution requirements for numerical simulations of transition
The resolution requirements for direct numerical simulations of transition to turbulence are investigated. A reliable resolution criterion is determined from the results of several detailed simulations of channel and boundary-layer transition
Quantum Manifestation of Elastic Constants in Nanostructures
Generally, there are two distinct effects in modifying the properties of
low-dimensional nanostructures: surface effect (SS) due to increased
surface-volume ratio and quantum size effect (QSE) due to quantum confinement
in reduced dimension. The SS has been widely shown to affect the elastic
constants and mechanical properties of nanostructures. Here, using Pb nanofilm
and graphene nanoribbon as model systems, we demonstrate the QSE on the elastic
constants of nanostructures by first-principles calculations. We show that
generally QSE is dominant in affecting the elastic constants of metallic
nanostructures while SS is more pronounced in semiconductor and insulator
nanostructures. Our findings have broad implications in quantum aspects of
nanomechanics
5MW Power Upgrade Studies of the ISIS TS1 Target
The increasing demand for neutron production at the ISIS neutron spallation source has motivated a study of an upgrade of the production target TS1. This study focuses on a 5 MW power upgrade and complete redesign of the ISIS TS1 spallation target, reflector and neutron moderators. The optimisation of the target-moderator arrangement was done in order to obtain the maximum neutron output per unit input power. In addition, at each step of this optimisation study, the heat load and thermal stresses were calculated to ensure the target can sustain the increase in the beam power
Low Temperature Magnetic Properties of the Double Exchange Model
We study the {\it ferromagnetic} (FM) Kondo lattice model in the strong
coupling limit (double exchange (DE) model). The DE mechanism proposed by Zener
to explain ferromagnetism has unexpected properties when there is more than one
itinerant electron. We find that, in general, the many-body ground state of the
DE model is {\it not} globally FM ordered (except for special filled-shell
cases). Also, the low energy excitations of this model are distinct from spin
wave excitations in usual Heisenberg ferromagnets, which will result in unusual
dynamic magnetic properties.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX, 5 Postscript figures include
Skyrmion Lattice in Two-Dimensional Chiral Magnet
We develop a theory of the magnetic field-induced formation of Skyrmion
crystal state in chiral magnets in two spatial dimensions, motivated by the
recent discovery of the Skyrmionic phase of magnetization in thin film of
FeCoSi and in the A-phase of MnSi. Ginzburg-Landau functional
of the chiral magnet re-written in the CP representation is shown to be a
convenient framework for the analysis of the Skyrmion states. Phase diagram of
the model at zero temperature gives a sequence of ground states, helical spin
Skyrme crystal ferromagnet, as the external field
increases, in good accord with the thin-film experiment. In close analogy
with Abrikosov's derivation of the vortex lattice solution in type-II
superconductor, the CP mean-field equation is solved and shown to reproduce
the Skyrmion crystal state.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure
Cross-linked CoMoO4/rGO nanosheets as oxygen reduction catalyst
Development of inexpensive and robust electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction
(ORR) is crucial for the cost-affordable manufacturing of metal-air batteries and fuel cells. Here
we show that cross-linked CoMoO4 nanosheets and reduced graphene oxide (CoMoO4/rGO) can
be integrated in a hybrid material under one-pot hydrothermal conditions, yielding a composite
material with promising catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Cyclic voltammetry
(CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) were used to investigate the efficiency of the fabricated
CoMoO4/rGO catalyst towards ORR in alkaline conditions. The CoMoO4/rGO composite revealed
the main reduction peak and onset potential centered at 0.78 and 0.89 V (vs. RHE), respectively.
This study shows that the CoMoO4/rGO composite is a highly promising catalyst for the ORR under
alkaline conditions, and potential noble metal replacement cathode in fuel cells and metal-air batteries
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