Work motivation and related demographic factors in unemployed patients with schizophrenia

Objective: Working rate in patients with schizophrenia is considerably low. Nonetheless, unemployed patients might have desire to work and look for a job. Identifying the reasons underlying the patients' work motivation and related factors can be instructive for the vocational rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons for work motivation and to identify the predictors of motivation in unemployed patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Sociodemographic and working life information of 379 unemployed patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder diagnosed for at least two years was collected from six different centers. The patients were questioned about their desire to work and its reasons. Having desire to work and job seeking behavior together was considered as work motivation. Patients with and without having work motivation were compared regarding to their sociodemographic information and illness characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to find the factors predicting the work motivation. Results: The participants' mean age was 42, level of education was nine years, duration of illness was 18 years, and majority consisted of males and single patients. It was found that 33% of the patients were motivated to work. While distinct underlying reasons of the work motivation were found as financial needs (45%) and will for independent living (35%), idea of not being able to deal with the requirements of the job (66%) and not receiving social welfare payment (24%) were dominant in patients who weren't motivated to work. The predictors of work motivation were found as male gender (OR=2.0), having a profession (OR=2.0), having work experience after the illness (OR=1.2), level of education (OR=1.1), and duration of illness (OR=0.9). Conclusion: We found that one-third of unemployed patients with schizophrenia have work motivation as an important finding. The patients may feel more comfortable and motivated to work if they would continue to receive social welfare payment after they started a job. It could be concluded patients who have a profession, high level of education, previous job experience, and who are at the early stage of their illness are suitable candidates for the vocational rehabilitation services

Decreased number of mast cells infiltrating into needle biopsy specimens leads to a better prognosis of prostate cancer

Mast cell infiltration is often observed around human tumours. Inflammatory cells such as macrophages, neutrophils and mast cells infiltrating around tumours are known to contribute to tumour growth; however, the clinical significance of mast cell invasion in prostate cancer (PCa) has not been investigated. Mast cell infiltration was evaluated in 104 patients (age range, 45–88 years; median, 72 years), who underwent needle biopsy of the prostate and were confirmed to have PCa. Needle biopsy specimens of prostate were sliced into 5-μm-thick sections and immunostained for mast cells with monoclonal antibody against mast cell-specific tryptase. Mast cells were counted systematically under a microscope (× 400 magnification), and the relations between mast cell numbers and clinicopathologic findings were evaluated. The mast cell count was evaluated for prognostic value by multivariate analysis. Mast cells were immunostained around the cancer foci. The median number of mast cells in each case was 16. The mast cell count was higher around cancer foci in patients with higher Gleason scores than in those with low Gleason scores. The mast cell number correlated well with clinical stage (P<0.001). Prostate-specific antigen-free survival of patients with higher mast cell counts was better than that in patients with lower mast cell counts (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that mast cell count was a significant prognostic factor (P<0.005). The number of mast cells infiltrating around cancer foci in prostate biopsy specimens can be a significant prognostic factor of PCa

Dislexia e ensino-aprendizagem de língua portuguesa : um estudo de caso

Monografia (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Letras, 2013.Esta pesquisa trata da dislexia e do ensino-aprendizagem de Língua Portuguesa para disléxicos, com base em um estudo de caso com estudante disléxico da rede pública de ensino do Plano Piloto. Dentre as questões abordadas, estão as definições da dislexia, seus tipos e possíveis tratamentos, além da discussão do espaço que tal distúrbio de aprendizagem tem na educação, a sugestão de inclusão da dislexia na Educação Especial e, consequentemente, nas salas de recursos e a adequação da metodologia de ensino, baseada na exploração dos gêneros textuais e dos multiletramentos, dentro da perspectiva Sociointeracionista de Vygotsky e da proposta de professor libertador, de Paulo Freire

The development of porcelain foams lighter than water for heat isolation application

WOS: 000463913600011In this study, technological and heat isolation properties of porous ultra-lightweight porcelain foams were investigated. Traditional construction materials such as brick show good durability against environmental conditions. Bricks are also a good alternative compared to pumice blocks and autoclaved aerated concrete which are largely used as construction materials. Bricks are also more economical than the other construction materials. But they also have poorer thermal insulation properties. Among the construction material, XPS shows the best heat isolation properties. XPS (extruded polystyrene foam) is a polymeric material. Although XPS shows best heat insulation property, it easily flames. The aim of this study is developing porous porcelain isolation materials lighter than water by using a replication method and relatively better thermal isolation properties than the other construction materials.Kirikkale UniversityKirikkale University [2016/139]This research project was supported by Kirikkale University (Project Number: 2016/139)

Development of lightweight ceramic construction materials based on fly ash

WOS: 000399855700015This study aims to demonstrate the suitability of using lightweight ceramics as a construction material in preference to autoclaved aerated concrete and pumice blocks or the more commonly used brick. For construction applications, ceramics show good stability under fatigue loadings and severe environmental conditions and are an economical alternative to other materials. Although bricks have better mechanical properties than the new generation construction materials, thermal insulation properties of brick are much lower. Hence, the use of bricks as a fired construction materials is becoming increasingly unfavorable; as a result, brick manufacturers are losing their market share day-by-day. This study aims to develop an alternative fired lightweight, ceramic construction material with fly ash with relatively better mechanical and thermal insulation properties.Kirikkale UniversityKirikkale University [2014/061]This research project was supported by Kirikkale University (Project number: 2014/061)

Development of porous lightweight clay bricks using a replication method

WOS: 000423602600019This study focused on porous lightweight clay bricks as a construction material as opposed to autoclaved aerated concrete and pumice blocks. Traditional clay bricks exhibit good stability against environmental conditions and are an economical alternative compared to other construction materials. Furthermore, clay bricks have better mechanical properties than autoclaved aerated concrete and pumice blocks but poorer thermal insulation properties; hence, their use in buildings is becoming increasingly unfavourable. This study focused on developing porous lightweight clay bricks with relatively better thermal insulation properties using a replication method.Kirikkale UniversityKirikkale University [2016/139]This research project was supported by Kirikkale University (Project No. 2016/139)

Effects of Alumina on Porcelain Insulators

WOS: 000367924100013This study was conducted under both industrial and laboratory conditions for improving material properties (i.e. mechanical and electrical) of electroporcelain bodies produced by porcelain insulator factories in Turkey. To achieve this aim, the quartz content of a standard electroporcelain body was substituted by alpha-alumina. The technical and sintering behaviours of quartz and the alumina-substituted bodies were investigated. Results showed that the addition of alumina increased the mechanical and electrical strength of the materials

Effect of spodumene addition on pyroplastic deformation of porcelain stoneware

WOS: 000348328300022Lithium aluminosilicates, such as spodumene, have been used as raw materials in the production of thermal shock resistant whiteware and sanitaryware. The presence of spodumene causes enhancement of mullitization and imparts better physical and mechanical properties to ceramics. In this study, the influence of Li2O-content on the properties of a standard porcelain stoneware body was investigated. Sodium feldspar was replaced by the spodumene in varying amounts (up to 4 wt. %). The results showed a significant microstructural improvement, the presence of spodumene which, during firing, allows the development of a low viscosity liquid phase with a decrease of closed porosity, also with increasing bulk density and bending strength

The effect of cement raw mix waste dust on porcelain tile properties

WOS: 000458426400005Nowadays, the recycling of industrial waste is one of the priority issues. Recycling studies related with reducing the negative effects of wastes on the environment are becoming increasingly important. It was believed that nothing was beyond recycling, and manufacturers should take greater responsibility for their part in the waste economy to apply cyclical solutions to an expanding breadth of new product categories. Cement raw mix contains silicate, alumina, iron oxide, and limestone. Raw mix contains SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, and K2O in higher ratio. The high presence of these oxides in the raw mix powder makes raw powder an alternative source of raw material for porcelain tile compositions. In this study, raw mix dust was used instead of sodium feldspar in a standard porcelain tile composition, at a rate of 1, 5, 10, and 15% by weight. The specimens were sintered at 1210 A degrees C. Flexural strength, firing shrinkage, water absorption, porosity, and other technological properties were investigated. It has been determined that the body containing 1% of the raw mix powder improved its physical and mechanical properties compared to the standard body.Kirikkale University Coordination Unit for Scientific Research Projects [2015/079]This study is supported by Kirikkale University Coordination Unit for Scientific Research Projects with project number 2015/079.; We would like to thank the Ceramics Research Center and Kale Ceramic R&D Center for their support in this work