SHAPS-C: the Snaith-Hamilton pleasure scale modified for clinician administration

Anhedonia, a diminished or lack of ability to experience and anticipate pleasure represents a core psychiatric symptom in depression. Current clinician assessment of anhedonia is generally limited to one or two all-purpose questions and most well-known psychometric scales of anhedonia are relatively long, self-administered, typically not state sensitive, and are unsuitable for use in clinical settings. A user-friendly tool for a more in-depth clinician assessment of hedonic capacity is needed. The present study assessed the validity and reliability of a clinician administered version of the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, the SHAPS-C, in 34 depressed subjects. We compared total and specific item scores on the SHAPS-C, SHAPS (self-report version), Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Rating version (IDS-SR). We also examined construct, content, concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and split-half reliability of the SHAPS-C. The SHAPS-C was found to be valid and reliable. The SHAPS and the SHAPS-C were positively correlated with one another, with levels of depression severity, as measured by the MADRS, and the IDS-SR total scores, and with specific items of the MADRS and IDS-SR sensitive to measuring hedonic capacity. Our investigation indicates that the SHAPS-C is a user friendly, reliable, and valid tool for clinician assessment of hedonic capacity in depressed bipolar and unipolar patients

Influence of Soybean Oil on Binder and Warm Mixture Asphalt Properties

To produce a usual hot mix asphalt, significant amount of energy is used, which causes air pollution. As a result, warm mix asphalt (WMA) is introduced to reduce the mixing and compaction temperature of the mixture. On the one hand, accumulation of waste oil in the ground occupies a large space in the Earth. After the process of frying the oil, if the by-product is not controlled properly, it leads to the pollution of the environment. Hence, utilization of this waste oil can be considered as a sustainable path to dealing with the risk. The main goal of the current research is to evaluate the possibility of exploiting soybean oil to reduce the mixing and compaction temperature of mixtures and produce warm mix asphalt (WMA). Moreover, the rheological and performance properties of mixtures containing soybean are evaluated in this study. The AC-60/70 and 85/100 binders are modified by soybean oil (0%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% by weight of binder). Several binder tests are used to measure the physical and rheological behaviors of binders, such as penetration grade, softening point, temperature susceptibility, rotational viscosity (RV), Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR), and Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) tests. Besides, several mixture tests are used to evaluate the performance of the mixture, including four-point bending beam fatigue (FPB), resilient modulus (Mr), indirect tensile strength (ITS), dynamic creep, and wheel track tests. Through MSCR test results, at two stress levels, the Jnr parameter increases as the soybean oil is added to the binder. The results of the LAS test revealed that the fatigue life of binders increases by addition of soybean oil. There is no significant difference between the results of new and waste oil. This in turn makes possible reducing soybean oil production and consumption, and instead frying oil (waste) is reused, which displays no significant difference in terms of chemical and physical properties. Also, the performance test of mixtures indicated that as the soybean oil is added to the mixture, the rutting performance decreases and fatigue performance increases. Based on the results, it is recommended to use 1.5% soybean oil in asphalt mixtures without compromising the performance of the mixture. ANOVA results showed that the warm additive had meaningful effects on MR, ITS, and FE; the same was true for the effects of the warm additive-binder type interaction

25 farkındalık dersi : şimdi sağlıklı yaşama zamanı

Zümra Atalay (MEF Author)##nofulltext##"En son ne zaman bir üzümü, bir kirazı bir ısırık elmayı çok yavaş çiğnediniz ve gerçekten tadını aldınız ve kokusunu algıladınız? Elbiselerinizin kumaşının cildinizde bıraktığı hissi algılamak için ne sıklıkta zaman ayırıyorsunuz? Hiç yünün, pamuğun ve ipeğin hissettirdiği duygunun bilincine vardınız mı? Hiç tüm dikkatinizi tek bir nefes alıp vermeye odakladınız mı ve bunu başlangıcından sonuna kadar dikkatlice takip ettiniz mi? Farkındalık, mevcut anı bilinçli bir akıl ve şefkatli, açık ve sevgi dolu bir kalp ile algılamaktır. Hepimiz her bir anda gövdemizde, aklımızda ve kalbimizde nelerin olup bittiğini bilecek kapasitedeyiz ve algıladığımızı kabul etme ve bununla dost olma kapasitesine sahibiz. Farkındalık bize deneyimlerimize tam olarak katılımcı olma ve hayatı sansürsüz yaşamak için gerekli olan tüm araçları sunabilir.

Psychosocial-spiritual well-being is related to resilience and mindfulness in patients with severe and/or life-limiting medical illness

Abstract Background Improvement of psychosocial-spiritual well-being in patients with life-threatening or life-limiting illness is desirable. Resilience and mindfulness are considered to be helpful for enhancing psychosocial-spiritual well-being. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to promote resilience to stress and enhance well-being. However, in medical patients, evidence for the associations between mindfulness and resilience is lacking. We hypothesize patients with higher levels of psychosocial-spiritual well-being demonstrate greater resilience and mindfulness. Methods 200 patients (mean age = 50.2, SD = 15.5) with serious and or life-limiting illnesses were recruited from the NIH Clinical Center. Patients completed a demographic questionnaire, the NIH-HEALS measure of psychosocial-spiritual well-being, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The demographic questionnaire also included a question on current stress level. Results The NIH-HEALS was positively correlated to CD-RISC-10 (rs=0.44, p < 0.001) and MAAS (rs=0.32, p < 0.001). These findings were consistent across all three NIH-HEALS factors. Additionally, CD-RISC-10 and MAAS demonstrated a meaningful relationship to each other (rs=0.46, p < 0.001). All three constructs were inversely related to current stress level. Conclusions Findings suggest that there is a meaningful relationship between psychosocial-spiritual well-being, mindfulness, and resilience. Mindfulness and resilience are positively correlated in a medical population. Clinical interventions aimed at enhancing psychosocial-spiritual well-being through mindfulness and resilience can be highly promising for patients with severe and or life limiting illness

The National Institutes of Health measure of Healing Experience of All Life Stressors (NIH-HEALS): Factor analysis and validation.

Two hundred patients with severe and/or life-threatening disease were recruited form the NIH Clinical Center and participated in the validation of the NIH-HEALS, which included exploratory factor analysis, principal component analysis, reliability, convergent validity, and divergent validity analyses. Item-reducing principal components analysis and internal consistency and split-half reliability demonstrated excellent internal consistency and split-half reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89, split-half reliability = 0.95). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure, namely Connection (including religious, spiritual, and interpersonal), Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance. Seven items were not retained. Convergent and divergent validity of 35-item NIH-HEALS against other validated measures of healing and spirituality provided strong evidence for its validity. As predicted, the Healed factor of the Self-Integration Scale (SIS), and Meaning, Peace, and Faith factors of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being-12 Scale (FACIT-SP12) were all positively and significantly correlated with the NIH-HEALS and its three factors. Divergent validity was also confirmed by the significant negative correlation between the NIH-HEALS and the Codependent factor on the SIS. Confirmatory Factor Analyses revealed good model fit by GFI (0.96), adjusted GFI (0.95), SRMR (0.077), and RMSEA (0.065), supporting the use of the NIH-HEALS with 35 items