A longitudinal study of bipolar disordered clients going through an intensive psycho-educational intervention program

Although it is still possible to encounter the view that medication is the only method of treatment for bipolar disorder, research shows that there is a significant need for a comprehensive and integrative approach to this complex disorder. The current thesis firstly describes the rationale and development of a new, psychological intervention specifically directed at bipolar disorder, and secondly reports on an evaluation of this approach to treatment. Using a longitudinal design with replication across 13 participants, combined with the use of multiple case study methodology and qualitative data collection strategies, which allowed for triangulation between multiple data sources, it is concluded that the newly developed Therapeutic Instability Model approach to treatment had a significant and positive impact on factors of importance when treating bipolar disorder. These factors included hopelessness, known to be predictive of suicidal behaviour, and perceived control over internal states, a central aspect of bipolar disorder. As part of the evaluation, insights into which factors are important for client satisfaction and perceived usefulness of a treatment were also gained and it is argued that these should be borne in mind when attempting to develop interventions with high effectiveness and low dropout from treatment. The study further-more found positive changes occurring as a result of the intervention in thoughts, feelings, behaviours and illness related knowledge, and began a mapping of the participants' understanding or subjective models of their disorder's aetiology and maintenance. Further, two distinct patterns of change in important variables were observed during treatment and appear to be related to the participants' general attitude to having future episodes of mania. In relation to this, it was noted that specific interventions, such as behavioural experiments, may be more important for outcomes of treatment for individuals with a positive/ambivalent attitude to mania compared with individuals who do not share this attitude to manic experiences. It was argued that these findings could have potentially important clinical implications and a number of suggestions with regards to further research in this, and other, areas relating to the study were finally made

Biomechanical changes to the trunk and lower extremities due to variations of the forward lunge exercise

Introduction: The forward lunge (FL) is a common weight bearing exercise that simultaneously trains the muscles crossing the hip, knee and ankle joint for strength and endurance. It is commonly used for rehabilitation, injury prevention and improving athletic performance. While the FL is an effective functional exercise, it trains movement primarily in the sagittal plane and previous research has shown that the hip extensors have relatively low activation compared to the knee extensors. Previous research has also shown that by altering the lunge and other lower extremity exercises (i.e., squat and deadlift) it is possible to increase the activation of the hip extensors and muscles that are involved in movements that occur in the frontal plane as well (i.e., abduction/adduction). The purpose of this study is to observe the changes in the kinetics and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the trunk and lower extremities due to variations of the forward lunge exercise. Methods: Eleven recreational athletes were recruited to perform 4 different types of lunges. The 4 lunges completed were the FL, the FL while increasing flexion at the hip causing the trunk to be in a forward position (FLTF), a lunge in which the subject stepped at a 30y angle to widen the step (WSL), and a WSL while increasing flexing at the hip (WSLTF). Each lunge was performed 3 times with two different external loads (13.6 and 27.2 kg) for a total of 24 lunges. EMG electrodes were placed bilaterally on the lower back and abdominal muscles and also on muscles of the hip and thigh of the lead leg during the lunges. A total of thirty three retroreflective markers were placed on the subject and the dumbbells used for the external load. All lunges were done on two portable force platforms while an 8 camera motion capture system recorded the movement. A multivariate ANOVA was used to test for significant differences and interactions between variables. Results: Peak internal hip adduction moment, peak external knee varus moment and peak external knee valgus moment were significantly greater during the wide step conditions compared to the straight forward step conditions (P \u3c 0.001). Peak internal hip abduction moment was significantly greater in the straight forward lunges than during the wide step lunges (P \u3c 0.001). Peak internal hip extension and L5/S1 extension moments were significantly greater during the lunges with the trunk forward compared to lunges when the trunk was upright (P \u3c 0.001) and also with the high external load compared to the low external load (P \u3c 0.001). There were no significant differences between any independent variables for the EMG data. There were no significant interactions between any of the independent variables. Discussion: The increased hip adduction moment seen when the width of the step is increased may help to strengthen these muscles and prevent athletic injuries to this muscle group. However, the increased varus and valgus knee moments may make the wide step lunge a poor choice due to increased medial and lateral compression of the knee joint. The increased hip extensor moment seen during the lunges with the trunk in a forward position and higher external loads may help to strengthen these muscles and possibly reduce injury risk to the knee and lower back during athletic movements. However, the increased L5/S1 extensor moment seen with increasing external load and a forward position of the trunk may increase lower back injury risk during lunge exercises

John R Mott, His Work with the Student Christian Movement to the Founding of the World\u27s Student Christian Federation

In order to keep the unity of the work before the eyes of the reader the author shall endeavor to point out in the course of Mott\u27s early life his frequent allusions to the dream of a student world united under the banner of Christ. Why should the student be singled out for such a union? The answer is found in the life of Mott

Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS): Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) investigation. Phase 1: Feasibility study

The possibility of the Threat Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) traffic sensor and display being used for meaningful Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) applications has resulted in the Federal Aviation Administration initiating a project to establish the technical and operational requirements to realize this potential. Phase 1 of the project is presented here. Phase 1 was organized to define specific CDTI applications for the terminal area, to determine what has already been learned about CDTI technology relevant to these applications, and to define the engineering required to supply the remaining TCAS-CDTI technology for capacity benefit realization. The CDTI applications examined have been limited to those appropriate to the final approach and departure phases of flight

Design and analysis of advanced flight planning concepts

The objectives of this continuing effort are to develop and evaluate new algorithms and advanced concepts for flight management and flight planning. This includes the minimization of fuel or direct operating costs, the integration of the airborne flight management and ground-based flight planning processes, and the enhancement of future traffic management systems design. Flight management (FMS) concepts are for on-board profile computation and steering of transport aircraft in the vertical plane between a city pair and along a given horizontal path. Flight planning (FPS) concepts are for the pre-flight ground based computation of the three-dimensional reference trajectory that connects the city pair and specifies the horizontal path, fuel load, and weather profiles for initializing the FMS. As part of these objectives, a new computer program called EFPLAN has been developed and utilized to study advanced flight planning concepts. EFPLAN represents an experimental version of an FPS. It has been developed to generate reference flight plans compatible as input to an FMS and to provide various options for flight planning research. This report describes EFPLAN and the associated research conducted in its development