Effects of Dialectical Behavior Therapy on Executive Functions, Emotion Regulation, and Mindfulness in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent depression, manic, and hypomanic episodes. Patients with BD are also likely to experience difficulties with executive functions and emotion regulation. The literature review states that little research has been done on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for BD, and there has not been an examination of this therapy on BD patients� executive functions and emotion regulation. The present study addresses this absence of research with a pilot study on 60 BD patients. Participants in the intervention group received twelve 90-min sessions adapted from a standard DBT protocol for BD and the control group was on a wait-list for treatment. Participants completed measures of mental wellbeing and executive functioning at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months later as a follow-up. Results showed that the intervention group improved over time, having lower scores in mania, depression, and emotion disregulation than the control group post-treatment. Further, the intervention group had higher scores in mindfulness, planning, problem-solving, and cognitive flexibility than the control group. The findings highlight that DBT, alongside prescription medication, can be an effective therapy for BD as well as leading to reduced manic and depression symptoms and improved executive functions, emotion regulation, and mindfulness. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

Cloud Point Extraction and Spectrophotometric Determination of Uranium (VI) in Water Samples after Mixed Micelle-Mediated Extraction Using Chromotrope 2R as Complexing Agent

A rapid, selective and sensitive method for the preconcentration and determination of uranium (VI) by cloud point extraction (CPE) was developed. The method was based on the color reaction of 5.00 ng mL−1 uranium (VI) with 1.5×10−4 mol L−1 of chromotrope 2R in the presence of 0.015 mol L−1 potassi-um iodide at pH 8 in HEPES buffer and mixed micelle-mediated extraction of complex. The mixture of a nonionic surfactant (0.2 % (v/v) of (Triton X-114) and a cationic (2.0×10−4 mol L−1 of CTAB) was utilized as a suitable micellar medium for preconcentration and extraction of uranium (VI) complexes. Effect of extraction and reaction parameters was studied and optimum parameters were established. The analytical characteristics of the method (e.g. linear range, limit of detection, preconcentration and improvement factors) were obtained. Linearity was obeyed in the range of 0.2−10 ng mL−1 of uranium (VI) with a detection limit of 0.035 ng mL−1. The diverse ion effect of some anions and cations on the extraction efficiency of target ions was tested. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of uranium (VI) in various water samples. (doi: 10.5562/cca1922

The number of irreducible polynomials of degree n over Fq with given trace and constant terms

AbstractWe study the number Nγ(n,c,q) of irreducible polynomials of degree n over Fq where the trace γ and the constant term c are given. Under certain conditions on n and q, we obtain bounds on the maximum of Nγ(n,c,q) varying c and γ. We show with concrete examples how our results improve the previously known bounds. In addition, we improve upper and lower bounds of any Nγ(n,c,q) when n=a(q−1) for a nonzero constant term c and a nonzero trace γ. As a byproduct, we give a simple and explicit formula for the number N(n,c,q) of irreducible polynomials over Fq of degree n=q−1 with a prescribed primitive constant term c

Distinguishing Solar Flare Types by Differences in Reconnection Regions

Observations show that magnetic reconnection and its slow shocks occur in solar flares. The basic magnetic structures are similar for long duration event (LDE) flares and faster compact impulsive (CI) flares, but the former require less non-thermal electrons than the latter. Slow shocks can produce the required non-thermal electron spectrum for CI flares by Fermi acceleration if electrons are injected with large enough energies to resonate with scattering waves. The dissipation region may provide the injection electrons, so the overall number of non-thermal electrons reaching the footpoints would depend on the size of the dissipation region and its distance from the chromosphere. In this picture, the LDE flares have converging inflows toward a dissipation region that spans a smaller overall length fraction than for CI flares. Bright loop-top X-ray spots in some CI flares can be attributed to particle trapping at fast shocks in the downstream flow, the presence of which is determined by the angle of the inflow field and velocity to the slow shocks.Comment: 15 pages TeX and 2 .eps figures, accepted to Ap.J.Let

Characterization of radio active aerosols in Tehran research reactor containment

The objectives of this research were to determine the levels of radioactivity in the Tehran research reactor containment and to investigate the mass-size distribution, composition, and concentration of radio nuclides during operation of the reactor. A cascade impactor sampler was used to determine the size-activity distributions of radioactive aerosols in each of the sampling stations. Levels of α and β activities were determined based on a counting method using a liquid scintillation counter and smear tests. The total average mass fractions of fine particles (particle diameter dp <1 µm) in all of the sampling stations were approximately 26.75 , with the mean and standard deviation of 52.15 ± 19.75 µg/m3. The total average mass fractions of coarse particles were approximately 73.2, with the mean and standard deviation of 71.34 ± 24.57 µg/m3. In addition to natural radionuclides, artificial radionuclides, such as 24Na,91Sr,131I,133I,103Ru,82Br, and 140La, may be released into the reactor containment structure. Maximum activity was associated with accumulation-mode particles with diameters less than 400 nm. The results obtained from liquid scintillation counting suggested that the mean specific activity of alpha particles in fine and coarse-modes were 89.7 and 10.26 , respectively. The mean specific activity of beta particles in fine and coarse-modes were 81.15 and 18.51 , respectively. A large fraction ofthe radionuclides' mass concentration in the Tehran research reactor containment was associated with coarse-mode particles, in addition, a large fraction of the activity in the aerosol particles was associated with accumulation-mode particles. © 2015, Vinca Inst Nuclear Sci. All rights reserved

Full particle simulation of a perpendicular collisionless shock: A shock-rest-frame model

The full kinetic dynamics of a perpendicular collisionless shock is studied by means of a one-dimensional electromagnetic full particle simulation. The present simulation domain is taken in the shock rest frame in contrast to the previous full particle simulations of shocks. Preliminary results show that the downstream state falls into a unique cyclic reformation state for a given set of upstream parameters through the self-consistent kinetic processes.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, published in "Earth, Planets and Space" (EPS), the paper with full resolution images is http://theo.phys.sci.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/~ryo/papers/shock_rest.pd

Radiographic outcome of surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in males versus females

Background: Studies on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have well documented the differences between natural history of male and female patients. There are also differences in responses to nonoperative treatment, but the results of operative treatment in male patients compared with females have not been widely reported. Only few studies had compared the outcomes of operative treatment between male and female patients with different results. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of 150 (112 girls and 38 boys) consecutive patients with diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were managed surgically between May 1996 and September 2005. Next, male radiographic parameters were compared with female ones pre- and postoperatively. Then, a subgroup of 38 matched girls was compared regarding the age, curve type, curve magnitude, and the instrumentation we used. Results: In comparing male patients with unmatched girls, the boys had greater mean age (17.3 ± 2.3 vs. 16.3 ± 2.9; p = 0.049), greater primary curve (71.4 ± 21.3° vs. 62.7 ± 17.5°; p = 0.013), less flexibility (30.1 ± 13.5 vs. 40.3 ± 17.8; p = 0.01), and less correction percentage (51.3 ± 12.9 vs. 58.8 ± 16.5; p = 0/013). The loss of correction was comparable between the two groups. In the matched comparison, the flexibility in boys was less than girls (30.1 ± 13.5 vs. 38.1 ± 17.5; p = 0.027). Also, the boys had a smaller correction percentage compared to the girls, but this finding was not statistically significant. Conclusion: There was similar distribution curve pattern between male and female patients with AIS. Males had more rigid primary curves compared to females but a similar degree of postoperative scoliosis correction. Male AIS patients were older at the time of surgery. These preoperative gender differences, however; did not compromise the radiological outcomes of surgical treatment and the results were comparable between the genders. © 2008 Ameri et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Diamagnetic Suppression of Component Magnetic Reconnection at the Magnetopause

We present particle-in-cell simulations of collisionless magnetic reconnection in a system (like the magnetopause) with a large density asymmetry across the current layer. In the presence of an ambient component of the magnetic field perpendicular to the reconnection plane the gradient creates a diamagnetic drift that advects the X-line with the electron diamagnetic velocity. When the relative drift between the ions and electrons is of the order the Alfven speed the large scale outflows from the X-line necessary for fast reconnection cannot develop and the reconnection is suppressed. We discuss how these effects vary with both the plasma beta and the shear angle of the reconnecting field and discuss observational evidence for diamagnetic stabilization at the magnetopause.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures; accepted by JGR; agu2001.cls and agu.bst include

An FPGA-based Design Approach for Microsatellites Telemetry Subsystem

The Tele-command and Telemetry (TT&C) subsystems are one of the vital components in satellites. Commanding, managing and data sampling from different sections of the satellite are performed through the TT&C subsystem. The telemetry and Tele-command parts of this subsystem could be implemented cooperatively with or separately from each other. Based on the satellite requirements, its mission and orbital lifetime and cost various approaches may be used in order to implement this subsystem. Furthermore, nowadays, the development of satellite subsystems based on commercial devices because of their low cost and accessibility is more attractive. However, their endurance for harsh space environment remains as a severe challenge. The Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), one of the best-developed commercial devices, are most successfully option in this application field. Nevertheless, the system designing methodology and the reliability of the implemented system on FPGAs remain as two major concerns. In this paper designing method and implementation result of Telemetry subsystem on field programmable gate array (FPGA) is presented. The implemented subsystem successfully passed environmental test according to ECSS standard. Furthermore, flight data confirm the feasibility of the presented FPGA based design methodology