100 research outputs found

    Randomized Controlled Trial of a Positive Affect Intervention to Reduce Stress in People Newly Diagnosed with HIV; Protocol and Design for the IRISS Study

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    Increasing evidence suggests that positive affect plays an important role in adaptation to chronic illness, independent of levels of negative affects like depression. Positive affect may be especially beneficial for people in the midst of severe stress, such as the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As medical treatments for HIV have improved, the number of people living with HIV has increased, and prevention strategies tailored specifically to people living with HIV have become a priority. There is a need for effective, creative, client-centered interventions that can be easily disseminated to community treatment settings, but there are currently few established interventions for people who are newly diagnosed with HIV. We present the design and methods for a randomized trial in which we test the efficacy of one such skills-based intervention that targets positive affect as a novel mechanism of change. The proposed research builds on observational findings of the important unique functions of positive affect. We aim to determine whether a five-session theory- and evidence-based intervention designed to teach skills for increasing the frequency and intensity of daily positive affect does so, and whether this intervention has beneficial effects on subsequent psychological well-being, health behaviors, and physical health up to 15 months after diagnosis with HIV. This is a randomized controlled trial in a sample of adults recruited within 12 weeks of testing positive for HIV. The control group is attention-matched, and follow up assessments will be conducted immediately post intervention (approximately 5 months post diagnosis) and at 10 and 15 months post diagnosis. This study is an important next step in research concerning the adaptive functions of positive affect for people coping with HIV or other health-related life stress

    Antibody response to Haemophilus influenzae type-b conjugate vaccine in children and young adults with congenital asplenia or after undergoing splenectomy

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    Absence of the spleen constitutes a risk of infection caused by encapsulated bacteria. The aim of our study was to determine the immune response to Haemophilus influenzae type-b (Hib) conjugate vaccine (HibCV) in asplenic individuals, considering the cause of asplenia, the age when splenectomy was carried out, and previous Hib vaccinations. Twenty asplenic patients, aged five to 25 years, were immunized with a single dose of HibCV. The specific antibody concentrations against HibCV were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Before vaccinations, the geometric mean antibody concentration (GMC) had an average value of 3.21 μg/ml and was comparable for all of the patients, regardless of the causes of asplenia. After vaccinations, the GMC was significantly higher, with an average of 6.78 μg/ml. Further, 4.5 years after vaccinations, the GMC was comparable to that of previously unvaccinated children. Moreover, 17/20 patients had GMC ≥ 1.0 μg/ml, which included all of the children with congenital asplenia, children splenectomized before the age of six years, and only 57% of children splenectomized after that age. HibCV gives asplenic patients long-term protection. Hence, HibCV should be administered regardless of previous vaccinations and time from splenectomy, even if antibody evaluation is not available

    Modern techniques for active modification of the aircraft dynamic behaviour

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    In the paper an attempt has been made to show crucial ideas of modification theory. This theory, through just in statu nascendi, provides the flight dynamics engineer with a very valuable design tool, because it covers the diverse topics that have attracted utmost attention in current researches. This paper considers the problem of improving the aircraft dynamic characteristics using feedback control. The starting point is a linear quadratic problem. Next, several applications of control theory to aircraft control law developments are desribed. The applications include solutions to the artificial stabilization and wing control problems. Finally, some issues to be explored are shown.Współczesne metody modyfikacji dunamicznego zachowania się statków powietrznych. W pracy podjęto próbę przedstawienia kluczowych idei teorii modyfikacji. Chociaż teoria ta znajduje się jeszcze in statu nascendi, to już teraz dostarcza inżynierom lotnictwa bardzo wartościowego narzędzia projektowania, dzięki temu, że "obsługuje" rozmaite zagadnienia, które pojawiają się w bieżących badaniach. Praca niniejsza dotyczy zagadnienia poprawiania charakterystyk dynamicznych statków powietrznych za pomocą układów sterowania. Punktem wyjścia do prezentacji jest zagadnienie liniowo-kwadratowe. Następnie opisane są mało znane metody dla układów liniowych. Jądrem pracy są jednak metody dla układów nieliniowych, a mianowicie Zasada Maksimum Pontriagina, Metoda Funkcji Lapunowa i Nieliniowa Dynamika Odwrotna. Niektóre metody zostały zilustrowane zagadnieniem ustatecznienia samolotu niestatecznego oraz zagadnieniem sterowania ruchem "wing-rock"

    Elektrochemisch erzeugte mechanische Spannungen

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    Available from TIB Hannover: DW 9245 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman
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