Eclipse Radio Science at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

No abstract availabl

Ham Radio SDR Configuration and Data Flows: Effects of the 2017 Solar Eclipse on HF Radio Propagation and the D-Region Ionosphere: Citizen Science Investigation

No abstract availabl

Eclipse Radio Science at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

No abstract availabl

Final Report of the Acquaintance/Date Rape Task Force

The Acquaintance/Date Rape Task Force was convened by V.P.S.A. Dr. Glen Williams to address concerns about the incidence of sexual assault on the EIU campus at the time. This is one of several such reports, and contains recommendations for institutional responses to prevent campus sexual assaults

Final Report of the Acquaintance/Date Rape Task Force

The Acquaintance/Date Rape Task Force was convened by V.P.S.A. Dr. Glen Williams to address concerns about the incidence of sexual assault on the EIU campus at the time. This is one of several such reports, and contains recommendations for institutional responses to prevent campus sexual assaults

Social participation for older people with aphasia: The impact of communication disability on friendships

Purpose: The language changes experienced by a person with aphasia following a stroke often have sudden and long-lasting negative impact on friendships. Friendship relationships are core to social engagement, quality of life, and emotional well-being. The aims of this study were to describe everyday communication with friends for older people with and without aphasia and to examine the nature of actual friendship conversations involving a person with aphasia. Method: This naturalistic inquiry drew data from two phases of research: a participant observation study of 30 older Australians, 15 of whom had aphasia following a stroke, and a collective case study using stimulated recall to examine friendship conversations involving an older person with aphasia. Results: People with aphasia communicated with fewer friends and had smaller social networks. "Friendship" was a core domain of communication for older people and participation in leisure and educational activities was focal in everyday communication with friends. Case study data of conversations between three older people with aphasia and their friends illuminated features of "time," the role of humour, and friends having shared interests. Conclusion: Aphasia has been found to impact on friendships. A need exists for research and intervention programs to address communication with friends for older people with aphasia

Results from the Eclipse of August 21, 2017

No abstract availabl

Improving the effectiveness of psychological interventions for depression and anxiety in the cardiac rehabilitation pathway using group-based metacognitive therapy (PATHWAY Group MCT) : study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression are prevalent among cardiac rehabilitation patients but pharmacological and psychological treatments have limited effectiveness in this group. Furthermore, psychological interventions have not been systematically integrated into cardiac rehabilitation services despite being a strategic priority for the UK National Health Service. A promising new treatment, metacognitive therapy, may be well-suited to the needs of cardiac rehabilitation patients and has the potential to improve outcomes. It is based on the metacognitive model, which proposes that a thinking style dominated by rumination, worry and threat monitoring maintains emotional distress. Metacognitive therapy is highly effective at reducing this thinking style and alleviating anxiety and depression in mental health settings. This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group-based metacognitive therapy for cardiac rehabilitation patients with elevated anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. METHODS/DESIGN: The PATHWAY Group-MCT trial is a multicentre, two-arm, single-blind, randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of group-based metacognitive therapy plus usual cardiac rehabilitation to usual cardiac rehabilitation alone. Cardiac rehabilitation patients (target sample n = 332) with elevated anxiety and/or depressive symptoms will be recruited across five UK National Health Service Trusts. Participants randomised to the intervention arm will receive six weekly sessions of group-based metacognitive therapy delivered by either cardiac rehabilitation professionals or research nurses. The intervention and control groups will both be offered the usual cardiac rehabilitation programme within their Trust. The primary outcome is severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms at 4-month follow-up measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale total score. Secondary outcomes are severity of anxiety/depression at 12-month follow-up, health-related quality of life, severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms and strength of metacognitive beliefs at 4- and 12-month follow-up. Qualitative interviews will help to develop an account of barriers and enablers to the effectiveness of the intervention. DISCUSSION: This trial will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group-based metacognitive therapy in alleviating anxiety and depression in cardiac rehabilitation patients. The therapy, if effective, offers the potential to improve psychological wellbeing and quality of life in this large group of patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UK Clinical Trials Gateway, ISRCTN74643496 , Registered on 8 April 2015

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder