The Problems of Assessing Change in Hopelessness Among Employees in Employee Assistance Programs

Hope has been designated by many theorists as playing an important part in both psychological and physical healing. However, to this point, whether or not time-limited psychotherapy can increase the level of hope in clients has not been adequately investigated. This study sought to measure the level of hope in participants pre-therapy and post-therapy by the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). It also sought to explore the special problems that are encountered when conducting research within an Employee Assistance Program. Three hypotheses were proposed. The first stated that groups would differ in pretest hopelessness levels according to type of presenting problem. The second stated that groups would differ in post-treatment mean level of hopelessness, according to type of presenting problem. The third stated that time-limited therapy would increase the post-treatment mean level of hope in participants, when compared with pre-treatment measurement of hope. The level of hopelessness would decrease following time-limited therapy. The collection of data was hindered by several problems that are faced in EAP outcome studies: Initiating research, facilitating cooperation, and overcoming economically motivated concerns. Twenty-six participants were recruited to participate from an employee assistance program located in Portland, Oregon. No significant differences were found among the groups according to type of presenting problem. The fact that no posttest could be performed on the sample highlighted the difficulties that one encounters when conducting EAP outcome research. Attention was also focused on the paucity of available outcome studies utilizing psychological variables within the EAP movement, and some possible reasons for this lack of data

Development of a simplified procedure for rocket engine thrust chamber life prediction with creep

An analytical method for predicting engine thrust chamber life is developed. The method accounts for high pressure differentials and time-dependent creep effects both of which are significant in limiting the useful life of the shuttle main engine thrust chamber. The hot-gas-wall ligaments connecting adjacent cooling channels ribs and separating the coolant flow from the combustion gas are subjected to a high pressure induced primary stress superimposed on an alternating cyclic thermal strain field. The pressure load combined with strain-controlled cycling produces creep ratcheting and consequent bulging and thinning of these ligaments. This mechanism of creep-enhanced ratcheting is analyzed for determining the hot-gas-wall deformation and accumulated strain. Results are confirmed by inelastic finite element analysis. Fatigue and creep rupture damage as well as plastic tensile instability are evaluated as potential failure modes. It is demonstrated for the NARloy Z cases analyzed that when pressure differentials across the ligament are high, creep rupture damage is often the primary failure mode for the cycle times considered

A new 3D solar wind speed and density model based on interplanetary scintillation

The solar wind (SW) is an outflow of the solar coronal plasma, expanding supersonically throughout the heliosphere. SW particles interact by charge exchange with interstellar neutral atoms and on one hand, they modify the distribution of this gas in interplanetary space, and on the other hand they are seed population for heliospheric pickup ions and energetic neutral atoms (ENAs). The heliolatitudinal profiles of the SW speed and density evolve during the cycle of solar activity. A model of evolution of the SW speed and density is needed to interpret observations of ENAs, pickup ions, the heliospheric backscatter glow, etc. We derive the Warsaw Heliospheric Ionization Model 3DSW (WawHelIon 3DSW) based on interplanetary scintillation (IPS) tomography maps of the SW speed. We take the IPS tomography data from 1985 until 2020, compiled by \citet{tokumaru_etal:21a}. We derive a novel statistical method of filtering these data against outliers, we present a flexible analytic formula for the latitudinal profiles of the SW speed based on Legendre polynomials of varying order with additional restraining conditions at the poles, fit this formula to the yearly filtered data, and calculate the yearly SW density profiles using the latitudinally invariant SW energy flux, observed in the ecliptic plane. Despite application of refined IPS data set, a more sophisticated data filtering method, and a more flexible analytic model, the present results mostly agree with those obtained previously, which demonstrates the robustness of IPS studies of the SW structure.Comment: Submitted to ApJ

Development of a simplified procedure for thrust chamber life prediction

An analytical design procedure for predicting thrust chamber life considering cyclically induced thinning and bulging of the hot gas wall is developed. The hot gas wall, composed of ligaments connecting adjacent cooling channel ribs and separating the coolant flow from the combustion gas, is subjected to pressure loading and severe thermal cycling. Thermal transients during start up and shut down cause plastic straining through the ligaments. The primary bending stress superimposed on the alternate in-plane cyclic straining causes incremental bulging of the ligaments during each firing cycle. This basic mechanism of plastic ratcheting is analyzed and a method developed for determining ligament deformation and strain. The method uses a yield surface for combined bending and membrane loading to determine the incremental permanent deflection and pregressive thinning near the center of the ligaments which cause the geometry of the ligaments to change as the incremental strains accumulate. Fatigue and tensile instability are affected by these local geometry changes. Both are analyzed and a failure criterion developed

Wysoko czułe białko C-reaktywne w moczu pacjentów z pęcherzem neurogennym po operacji przepukliny oponowo-rdzeniowej

Introduction. Neurogenic bladder (NB) is specific condition caused by disturbed bladder innervation and the most often complication of meningomyelocele (MMC). It is known that incorrect bladder function causes renal damage. Condition of  NB is worsened by urinary tract infections, detrusor overactivity, dysfunctional voiding and/or irregular catheterization. hs-CRP plays an important role in inflammatory process and can predict kidney function. The aim of this study was the estimation of urinary hs-CRP level in association with neurogenic bladder function based on urodynamics and renal function based on eGFR in MMC patients with various activity states and with different levels of lesion.Material and methods. 33 children and adolescents with urodynamically  confirmed neurogenic bladder and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled into the study. Patients were divided according to Hoffer’s scale and level of lesion. Urinary hs-CRP were evaluated in all individuals using ELISA methods. Urinary hs-CRP results were adjusted to the creatinine and expressed as hs-CRP/creatinine ratio. Nonparametric tests were used for statistical analysis.Results. When compared to the reference group, MMC patients showed increased urinary hs-CRP. There were no differences in the studied parameter between boys and girls, non- and catheterized, and with different urodynamic diagnosed children. We found positive correlations between Hoffer’s scale assessing physical activity and level of lesion and between GFR and urinary hs-CRP/crea.Conclusion. Urinary hs-CRP level is elevated in MMC patients compared to reference group and could be considered as a very early marker of glomerular hyperfiltration.Wstęp. Pęcherz neurogenny jest to specyficzny stan spowodowany zaburzonym unerwieniem pęcherza i jest jednym z najczęstszych powikłań przepukliny oponowo rdzeniowej. Znany jest fakt uszkodzenia funkcji nerek w następstwie pęcherza neurogennego. Czynność pęcherza neurogennego pogarszana jest poprzez zakażenia układu moczowego, nadczynność wypieracza, dysfunkcyjną mikcję i/lub nieregularne cewnikowanie. Wysoko czułe białko C-reaktywne (hs-CRP) odgrywa istotną rolę w procesach zapalnych, jak również może być czynnikiem predykcyjnym funkcji nerek. Celem pracy była ocena hsCRP w moczu w powiązaniu z czynnością pęcherza neurogennego ocenianą w badaniu urodynamicznym oraz funkcją nerek w oparciu o GFR u pacjentów z przepuklina oponowo-rdzeniową w zależności  od aktywności fizycznej i poziomu uszkodzenia.Materiał i metody. Do badania włączono 33 dzieci z potwierdzonym pęcherzem neurogennym i 20 zdrowych  jako grupę referencyjną. Pacjenci zostali podzieleni zgodnie z poziomem uszkodzenia i ze skalą aktywności fizycznej Hoffera. Stężenie hs-CRP w moczu oceniono metodą ELISA u wszystkich uczestników badania. Stężenie hs-CRP odniesiono do stężenia kreatyniny i przestawiono jako wskaźnik hs-CRP/kreatynina. Do analizy statystycznej użyto testów nieparametrycznych.Wyniki. U pacjentów z przepukliną oponowo-rdze-niową wykazano podwyższony hs-CRP w moczu w porów-naniu do grupy kontrolnej. Nie było różnic w badanych parametrach pomiędzy chłopcami i dziewczynkami, pacjentami cewnikowanymi i nie cewnikowanymi, i po-między pacjentami z różnymi rozpoznaniami urody-namicznymi. Wykazano pozytywne korelacje pomiędzy GFR i wskaźnikiem hsCRP/kreatynina a skalą Hoffera oceniającą aktywność fizyczną i poziomem uszkodzenia.Wniosek. Stężenie hs-CRP w moczu jest pod-wyższone u pacjentów z pęcherzem neurogennym po przepuklinie oponowo rdzeniowej w porównaniu do dzieci zdrowych i może być rozważany jako wczesny marker hyperfiltracji

Effect of Isosporiasis Prevention with Toltrazuril on Long-Term Pig Performance

The efficacy of toltrazuril treatment was assessed in two experiments in Polish swine herds. Experiment 1 included a toltrazuril treatment group, Group A (n = 410), and untreated control, Group B (n = 386). Time to sale in Group A was 108 days versus 120 days for Group B, with average body weights at sale of 114.2 kg and 108.8 kg, respectively (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the health status and body weight gain of 238 piglets treated with toltrazuril (Group D) were compared to 235 untreated piglets (Group K). A similar difference was observed in average body weights of slaughtered animals, being on average 104 kg in Group D and 101 kg in Group K (P < 0.01). Animals from Group D were slaughtered 5 days earlier than animals from Group K (day 166 versus day 171). Data from clinical trials suggest treatment of coccidiosis with toltrazuril offering potential for improved animal welfare and yields, however this has remained unproven in field conditions in large swine production facilities. The present study confirms the efficacy of toltrazuril treatment when used in the field and the subsequent positive impact on time to weaning, time to market, and on weight gain at all time points

Die Rolle der Proteinase-aktivierten Rezeptoren bei der Invasivität von Melanomzellen

Maligne Tumoren zeichnen sich durch ihr invasives Verhalten aus. In dieser Arbeit wurde die Invasivität mit Hilfe eines Invasions-Assays „in vitro“ bestimmt. Das Verfahren beruht auf dem hohen elektrischen transepithelialen Widerstand (TEER) einer Nierenepithelzelllinie (C7-Zellen), der bei Kontakt mit invasiven, proteasesezernierenden Melanomzellen zusammenbricht. Die Unterschungen haben gezeigt, dass die Zellzahl der Melanomzellen einen Einfluss auf die Invasivität ausübt und dass verschiedene Melanomzellarten ein unterschiedliches Aggressivitätsverhalten aufweisen. Bei den Hauptexperimenten wurde der Einfluss von Proteinase-aktivierten Rezeptoren (PAR1 und PAR2), unter Verwendung von zwei Melanomzelllinien mit einem Zusatz von PAR-Agonisten, auf die Invasivität untersucht. Melanomzellen mit einem Zusatz von PAR-Agonisten wiesen ein invasiveres Verhalten auf als ohne. Bei Versuchen mit dem alleinigen Zusatz von PAR-Agonisten blieb der TEER unbeeinträchtigt oder stieg weiter an

The foetal development of the human osseous labyrinth in a computed tomographic study

A CT study was performed on 8 foetuses aged between 20 and 38 weeks. In foetuses at the 20th week the semicircular canals, the spiral canal of the cochlea and the initial (labyrinthine) part of the facial canal are visible. At week 24 the tympanic part of the facial canal is observed. In the 31st week the cochlea is divided into 2 compartments, and in the 38th week the vestibular aqueduct and osseous labyrinth are seen