The Negativity Bias Predicts Response Rate To Behavioral Activation For Depression

Background and Objectives: This treatment study investigated the extent to which asymmetric dimensions of affective responding, specifically the positivity offset and the negativity bias, at pretreatment altered the rate of response to Behavioral Activation treatment for depression. Method: Forty-one depressed participants were enrolled into 16 weekly sessions of BA. An additional 36 lifetime healthy participants were evaluated prospectively for 16 weeks to compare affective responding between healthy and remitted patients at post-treatment. All participants were assessed at Weeks 0, 8 and 16 using repeated measures, involving a structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, questionnaires, and a computerized task designed to measure affective responses to unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant images. Results: The negativity bias at pre-treatment predicted the rate of response to BA, while the positivity offset did not. Limitations: Only one treatment condition was used in this study and untreated depressed participants were not enrolled, limiting our ability to compare the effect of BA. Conclusions: Baseline negativity bias may serve as a signal for patients to engage in and benefit from the goal-directed BA strategies, thereby accelerating rate of response

Effect of lithotripter focal width on stone comminution in shock wave lithotripsy

Using a reflector insert, the original HM-3 lithotripter field at 20 kV was altered significantly with the peak positive pressure (p+) in the focal plane increased from 49 to 87 MPa while the -6 dB focal width decreased concomitantly from 11 to 4 mm. Using the original reflector, p+ of 33 MPa with a -6 dB focal width of 18 mm were measured in a pre-focal plane 15-mm proximal to the lithotripter focus. However, the acoustic pulse energy delivered to a 28-mm diameter area around the lithotripter axis was comparable (~120 mJ). For all three exposure conditions, similar stone comminution (~70%) was produced in a mesh holder of 15 mm after 250 shocks. In contrast, stone comminution produced by the modified reflector either in a 15-mm finger cot (45%) or in a 30-mm membrane holder (14%) was significantly reduced from the corresponding values (56% and 26%) produced by the original reflector !no statistically significant differences were observed between the focal and pre-focal planes . These observations suggest that a low-pressure/broad focal width lithotripter field will produce better stone comminution than its counterpart with high-pressure/ narrow focal width under clinically relevant in vitro comminution conditions

Modeling of Schottky Barrier Height and Volt-Amper Characteristics for Transition Metal-solid Solution (SіC)1 – x(AlN)x

Proposed nonlinear defect concentration model of metal-semiconductor contact. It is shown that taking into account nonlinear dependence of the Fermi energy EF defect concentration leads to higher barrier Schottky in 15-25 %. Calculated Volt-Amper characteristics of the diodes are consistent with experiment

Cold Flow Model Study on Interconnected Fluidized Bed Reactors for Multi-generation Systems and Chemical Looping Processes

Interconnected fluidized bed reactors (DCFB) were implemented in multi-generation systems (pyrolysis FB reactor and CFB boiler), chemical looping combustion (CLC) systems (double metal oxides or carbonate oxide reactors) and three reactor chemical looping gasification processes. The presented data focus on the solids circulation rate and on pressure profiles of the DCFB depended on selected operating parameters such as fluidization gas flow rate, loop seal fluidization, and solids inventory. Most work was devoted to studying standpipe and valve operation

Joint safety and security analysis for complex systems

The problem of joint safety and security analysis is considered. For complex systems method of fault tree analysis for safety and security is proposed. The effectiveness of new approach of joint safety and security analysis is shown on example of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS)

Twice The Negativity Bias And Half The Positivity Offset: Evaluative Responses To Emotional Information In Depression

Background and objectives: Humans have the dual capacity to assign a slightly pleasant valence to neutral stimuli (the positivity offset) to encourage approach behaviors, as well as to assign a higher negative valence to unpleasant images relative to the positive valence to equally arousing and extreme pleasant images (the negativity bias) to facilitate defensive strategies. We conducted an experimental psychopathology study to examine the extent to which the negativity bias and the positivity offset differ in participants with and without major depression. Method: Forty-one depressed and thirty-six healthy participants were evaluated using a structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders, questionnaires, and a computerized task designed to measure implicit affective responses to unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant stimuli. Results: The negativity bias was significantly higher and the positivity offset was significantly lower in depressed relative to healthy participants. Limitations: Entry criteria enrolling medication-free participants with minimal DSM-IV comorbidity may limit generalizability of the findings. Conclusions: This study advances our understanding of the positive and negative valence systems in depression, highlighting the irregularities in the positive valence system

Modeling of Schottky Barrier Height and Volt-Amper Characteristics for Transition Metal-solid Solution (SіC)1 – x(AlN)x

Proposed nonlinear defect concentration model of metal-semiconductor contact. It is shown that taking into account nonlinear dependence of the Fermi energy EF defect concentration leads to higher barrier Schottky in 15-25 %. Calculated Volt-Amper characteristics of the diodes are consistent with experiment

Improving the lens design and performance of a contemporary electromagnetic shock wave lithotripter.

The efficiency of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), a noninvasive first-line therapy for millions of nephrolithiasis patients, has not improved substantially in the past two decades, especially in regard to stone clearance. Here, we report a new acoustic lens design for a contemporary electromagnetic (EM) shock wave lithotripter, based on recently acquired knowledge of the key lithotripter field characteristics that correlate with efficient and safe SWL. The new lens design addresses concomitantly three fundamental drawbacks in EM lithotripters, namely, narrow focal width, nonidealized pulse profile, and significant misalignment in acoustic focus and cavitation activities with the target stone at high output settings. Key design features and performance of the new lens were evaluated using model calculations and experimental measurements against the original lens under comparable acoustic pulse energy (E+) of 40 mJ. The -6-dB focal width of the new lens was enhanced from 7.4 to 11 mm at this energy level, and peak pressure (41 MPa) and maximum cavitation activity were both realigned to be within 5 mm of the lithotripter focus. Stone comminution produced by the new lens was either statistically improved or similar to that of the original lens under various in vitro test conditions and was significantly improved in vivo in a swine model (89% vs. 54%, P = 0.01), and tissue injury was minimal using a clinical treatment protocol. The general principle and associated techniques described in this work can be applied to design improvement of all EM lithotripters