The Impact of Community Based Adventure Therapy on Stress and Coping Skills in Adults.

Stress and coping skills are among the most essential components of the mental health counseling field. The use of coping skills (e.g., meditation, physical activities, appropriate uses of leisure) has been identified as an effective strategy for stress management. Adventure therapy has emerged as a modality that can positively augment other therapeutic approaches by improving coping skills and assisting clients in managing stress. As with all therapies, a positive working alliance has been found to be important toward achieving clinical outcomes. This study explored how adventure therapy enhanced learned coping strategies for stress and improved therapeutic alliance. Outcomes from this exploratory research highlighted the potential of adventure therapy to decrease stress, increase coping skills, and build therapeutic rapport with the therapist

Primordial magnetic field and non-Gaussianity of the 1-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data

Alfven turbulence caused by statistically isotropic and homogeneous primordial magnetic field induces correlations in the cosmic microwave background anisotropies. The correlations are specifically between spherical harmonic modes a_{l-1,m} and a_{l+1,m}. In this paper we approach this issue from phase analysis of the CMB maps derived from the WMAP data sets. Using circular statistics and return phase mapping we examine phase correlation of \Delta l=2 for the primordial non-Gaussianity caused by the Alfven turbulence at the epoch of recombination. Our analyses show that such specific features from the power-law Alfven turbulence do not contribute significantly in the phases of the maps and could not be a source of primordial non-Gaussianity of the CMB.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, ApJ accepted with minor changes and the explanation on the whitened derived CMB map

Testing Gaussian random hypothesis with the cosmic microwave background temperature anisotropies in the three-year WMAP data

We test the hypothesis that the temperature of the cosmic microwave background is consistent with a Gaussian random field defined on the celestial sphere, using de-biased internal linear combination (DILC) map produced from the 3-year WMAP data. We test the phases for spherical harmonic modes with l <= 10 (which should be the cleanest) for their uniformity, randomness, and correlation with those of the foreground templates. The phases themselves are consistent with a uniform distribution, but not for l <= 5, and the differences between phases are not consistent with uniformity. For l=3 and l=6, the phases of the CMB maps cross-correlate with the foregrounds, suggestion the presence of residual contamination in the DLC map even on these large scales. We also use a one-dimensional Fourier representation to assemble a_lm into the \Delta T_l(\phi) for each l mode, and test the positions of the resulting maxima and minima for consistency with uniformity randomness on the unit circle. The results show significant departures at the 0.5% level, with the one-dimensional peaks being concentrated around \phi=180 degs. This strongly significant alignment with the Galactic meridian, together with the cross-correlation of DILC phases with the foreground maps, strongly suggests that even the lowest spherical harmonic modes in the map are significantly contaminated with foreground radiation.Comment: submitted to ApJL, one paragraph is added in Section 3 and some more in the Referenc

Layer-by-layer nucleation mechanism for quantum dot formation in strained heteroepitaxy

2010-2011 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Expected Sensitivity to Galactic/Solar Axions and Bosonic Super-WIMPs based on the Axio-electric Effect in Liquid Xenon Dark Matter Detectors

We present systematic case studies to investigate the sensitivity of axion searches by liquid xenon detectors, using the axio-electric effect (analogue of the photoelectric effect) on xenon atoms. Liquid xenon is widely considered to be one of the best target media for detection of WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles which may form the galactic dark matter) using nuclear recoils. Since these detectors also provide an extremely low radioactivity environment for electron recoils, very weakly-interacting low-mass particles (< 100 keV/c^2), such as the hypothetical axion, could be detected as well - in this case using the axio-electric effect. Future ton-scale liquid Xe detectors will be limited in sensitivity only by irreducible neutrino background (pp-chain solar neutrino and the double beta decay of 136Xe) in the mass range between 1 and 100 keV/c^2. Assuming one ton-year of exposure, galactic axions (as non-relativistic dark matter) could be detected if the axio-electric coupling g_Ae is greater than 10^-14 at 1 keV/c^2 (or $10^-13 at 100 keV/c^2). Below a few keV/c^2, and independent of the mass, a solar axion search would be sensitive to a coupling g_Ae ~ 10^-12. This limit will set a stringent upper bound on axion mass for the DFSV and KSVZ models for the mass ranges m_A < 0.1 eV/c^2 and < 10 eV/c^2, respectively. Vector-boson dark matter could also be detected for a coupling constant alpha'/alpha > 10^-33 (for mass 1 keV/c^2) or > 10^-27 (for mass 100 keV/c^2).Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Another light in the dark: review of new method for the arthroscopic repair of triangular fibrocartilage complex

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is an anatomically and biomechanically important structure. Repair of radial-sided TFCC tear has previously been challenging. We designed a new method of radial-sided TFCC tear repair and found that it was also applicable for ulnar-sided TFCC tear repair. From October 2006 to December 2010, 10 patients underwent this operation and were reviewed: 9 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of 33.9 years. Average postoperative follow-up was 8 months. We graded results according to the Mayo modified wrist score. We rated 2 of the 10 patients (20%) as 'excellent,' 3 (30%) as 'good,' and 5 (50%) as 'fair.' The 5 patients who were rated as 'fair' returned to regular jobs or had restricted employment. Based on this small sample, we recommend that this technique be considered an alternative method for TFCC repair.postprin

A Game of Attribute Decomposition for Software Architecture Design

Attribute-driven software architecture design aims to provide decision support by taking into account the quality attributes of softwares. A central question in this process is: What architecture design best fulfills the desirable software requirements? To answer this question, a system designer needs to make tradeoffs among several potentially conflicting quality attributes. Such decisions are normally ad-hoc and rely heavily on experiences. We propose a mathematical approach to tackle this problem. Game theory naturally provides the basic language: Players represent requirements, and strategies involve setting up coalitions among the players. In this way we propose a novel model, called decomposition game, for attribute-driven design. We present its solution concept based on the notion of cohesion and expansion-freedom and prove that a solution always exists. We then investigate the computational complexity of obtaining a solution. The game model and the algorithms may serve as a general framework for providing useful guidance for software architecture design. We present our results through running examples and a case study on a real-life software project.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, a shorter version to appear at 12th International Colloquium on Theoretical Aspects of Computing (ICTAC 2015

Method of Improving Weld Quality

A method of improving weld quality between aluminum members by slowing the rate of solidification of a molten weld trough into solidified material. Upper and lower aluminum members are positioned together in contact between facing surfaces thereof to expose a first outer surface of the upper aluminum member to laser irradiation. A welding laser beam is moved in a path over the first outer surface, wherein the welding laser beam has an energy and width to progressively melt a trough of molten metal to a depth through the upper aluminum member and into the lower aluminum member. The molten metal in the trough has a void filled with gas, and the molten metal re-solidifies into re-solidified metal after the passage of the welding laser beam. An area in and around the trough is heated to slow the rate of solidification of the molten metal into the re-solidified metal, thereby preventing entrainment of the gas within the re-solidified metal

Взаємодія архетипних систем в українських, польських, староанглійських і кельтських загадках(на матеріалі праць І.Я.Франка та Ексетерської книги)

Метою дослідження є порівняти архетипні системи українських, польських, кельтських і англосаксонських загадок періоду раннього християнства. Основний акцент робиться на порівнянні українських і староанглійських загадок