Social isolation in mental health: a conceptual and methodological review

PURPOSE: Social isolation and related concepts have been discussed increasingly in the field of mental health. Despite this, there is a lack of conceptual clarity and consistency in the definition and operationalisation of these terms. This review aimed to provide a clear framework for social isolation and related concepts, and to identify well-established measures in the field of mental health for each conceptual domain discussed. METHODS: We used an iterative strategy of expert consultation and literature searching. A multi-disciplinary group of senior academics was consulted both before and after the literature searching to identify relevant terms, conceptual papers, or recommended measures. Our conceptual framework was also validated through expert consultation. We searched the Web of Science database using terms suggested by experts and subsequently identified further relevant studies through review articles and by reading full texts and reference lists of included studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted. RESULTS: We developed a model with five domains incorporating all the concepts relevant to social isolation in regular use in the mental health research literature. These five domains are: social network—quantity; social network—structure; social network—quality; appraisal of relationships—emotional; and appraisal of relationships—resources. We also identified well-developed measures suitable for assessing each of the five conceptual domains or covering multi-domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our review proposes a conceptual model to encompass and differentiate all terms relating to social isolation. Potential uses are in allowing researchers and intervention developers to identify precisely the intended outcomes of interventions, and to choose the most appropriate measures to use in mental health setting

The influence of precursor structure on the development of porosity in polymer-derived SiC

Polymer-based routes to ceramic oxides take advantage of precursor chemistry and structure to produce materials with a range of pore sizes. Polymer precursor routes to non-oxide ceramics offer products with superior thermal and chemical stability in many cases. Polymethylsilane (PMS), a versatile cross linked SiC precursor, [(MeHSi){sub x}(MeSi){sub y}], was synthesized using published procedures to yield fluid precursors with a low (20--40%) degree of cross linking. Unique, highly cross linked (60--70%), solid polymers were produced under reaction conditions which carefully conserve the volatile monomer. These two polymers were converted to SiC to determine the relative importance of the various contributions to porosity, and to assess the role of precursor structure on porosity development in non-oxides. Initial results indicate that precursor structure has little effect on porosity. The development of the porosity appears to be dominated by high temperature thermochemistry and/or microstructural changes

Bioprospecção de extratos vegetais ativos sobre larvas do carrapato Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

Introdução: O carrapato bovino tem grande importância sanitária no Brasil, mas encontra-se muito resistente aos acaricidas sintéticos disponíveis [1]. Dessa forma, esse estudo teve por objetivo investigar a ação de extratos vegetais sobre larvas de R. microplus. Métodos: Envelopes de papel de filtro contendo ± 100 larvas e impregnados com os extratos foram incubados por 24h em B.O.D. ± 28°C e UR >80% [2]. Foram avaliados em 3 repetições: extrato metanólico da raiz de Curcuma longa (20 mg), extrato diclorometano das folhas de Hortia brasiliana (10 mg), extrato metanólico do tronco de Hortia superba (10 mg), extrato etanólico do caule (20 mg) e partição hexânica, dicloro, acetato de etila e etanólica das folhas de Euxylophora paraensis (15, 15, 17 e 20 mg), extrato hidrometanólico das cascas do fruto (253 mg) e etanólico de folhas e galhos de Trichilia elegans (20 mg); extrato hexânico da semente de Annona muricata, extrato etanólico da raiz de Zingiber oficinalle e de galhos de Uncaria tomentosa (20 mg). Testaram-se também os óleos brutos de Carapa guianensis e de Copaifera reticulata a 3%, 7,5% e 15%. Os extratos tiveram seus solventes evaporados e depois testados a 100%, 50% e 25% da massa inicial, adicionando-se água, ou etanol a 30% e/ou tween 80 a 2%. Os controles foram preparados com os mesmos solventes. Resultados e Discussão/ Conclusão: O extrato metanólico da raiz de C. longa causou lentidão no movimento das larvas nas concentrações de 100 e 50%. C. reticulata causou mortalidade de 4%, 18,6% e 28,3% nas concentrações de 3%, 7,5% e 15%, respectivamente. Portanto, as espécies vegetais não foram eficazes, ou economicamente viáveis no caso de C. reticulata, nas concentrações avaliadas. 1.Grisi, L. et al. (2002) A Hora Vet. 125: 8-10. 2.Fao Plant Protection Bulletin (1971) FAO method n.º7 19: 15-18

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) - 2018 Summary Report

The Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) is a TeV-scale high-luminosity linear $e^+e^-$ collider under development at CERN. Following the CLIC conceptual design published in 2012, this report provides an overview of the CLIC project, its current status, and future developments. It presents the CLIC physics potential and reports on design, technology, and implementation aspects of the accelerator and the detector. CLIC is foreseen to be built and operated in stages, at centre-of-mass energies of 380 GeV, 1.5 TeV and 3 TeV, respectively. CLIC uses a two-beam acceleration scheme, in which 12 GHz accelerating structures are powered via a high-current drive beam. For the first stage, an alternative with X-band klystron powering is also considered. CLIC accelerator optimisation, technical developments and system tests have resulted in an increased energy efficiency (power around 170 MW) for the 380 GeV stage, together with a reduced cost estimate at the level of 6 billion CHF. The detector concept has been refined using improved software tools. Significant progress has been made on detector technology developments for the tracking and calorimetry systems. A wide range of CLIC physics studies has been conducted, both through full detector simulations and parametric studies, together providing a broad overview of the CLIC physics potential. Each of the three energy stages adds cornerstones of the full CLIC physics programme, such as Higgs width and couplings, top-quark properties, Higgs self-coupling, direct searches, and many precision electroweak measurements. The interpretation of the combined results gives crucial and accurate insight into new physics, largely complementary to LHC and HL-LHC. The construction of the first CLIC energy stage could start by 2026. First beams would be available by 2035, marking the beginning of a broad CLIC physics programme spanning 25-30 years