The effects of three different types of distraction on pain induced by the iontophoretic administration of potassium ions : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

Distraction of attention away from painful sensations is a widely accepted technique for reducing both clinical pain (Copp, 1974; Turk, Meichenbaum, & Genest, 1983), and instances of experimentally induced pain (Fernandez & Turk, 1989; McCaul & Malott, 1984). However there is little research regarding the relative efficacy of different types of distracters. According to a model proposed by McCaul and Malott (1984), distraction is thought to modify pain perception by competing with pain-sensory information for limited attentional resources. Extending this model to accommodate the multiple resource model of attention (Wickens, 1984), suggests that somatic distraction may be analgesically more potent than visual distraction, while a recent meta-analysis (Fernandez & Turk, 1989) suggests that imagery may be the most effective form of distraction. The present study examined the effects of three different distracters on pain induced by the iontophoretic administration of potassium ions. 20 subjects underwent four conditions of a repeated measures experimental procedure: somatic distraction; visual distraction; imaginal distraction; and no-distraction control conditions. It was hypothesised that under these conditions; (1) the distracters would raise pain threshold when compared to no-distraction conditions, and (2) that either pain threshold would be raised more or distracter performance would be lowered more (or both) under somatic conditions than under comparable visual conditions. Findings revealed that all three distraction conditions significantly raised pain threshold when compared to no-distraction control. Of all the distracters, the imaginal task was found to be least effective in raising pain threshold, and despite predictions the somatic distracter was not demonstrated to be any more effective than its visual counterpart. Additionally, the prediction that somatic task performance would be lowered more than visual performance was not confirmed. These findings were discussed in relation to research by Riley and Levine (1988), and the value of the multiple resource model for extending McCaul and Malott's (1984) information processing model for distraction analgesia was also discussed

Active control of space structures: Proof of concept experiment

Modern control theory easily works with multiple input/multiple output systems. Two types of systems which fall into this category are flexible systems, where many measurements and several actuators are necessary to provide control over bending behavior, and articulated systems which consist of several rigid bodies connected together by pivoting connections. In this latter case, multiple controls are implemented as torquers at the joints

The social amplification of risk and the hazard sequence: The October 1995 oral contraceptive pill scare

Hazard notifications routinely occur as part of the identification or management of a hazard. It is argued that a series of such notifications - a hazard sequence - may affect public responses to future notifications about that hazard and also that hazard sequences can help explain patterns of risk amplification, particularly how a risk becomes normalised. Exploration of the hazard sequence also means exploring hazard templates: frameworks through which people make sense of risk information across the lifetime of the hazard. Events surrounding the 1995 oral contraceptive 'pill scare' are used to illustrate the way in which a hazard sequence might operate

Investigation of halo satellite orbit control

Calculations are given for Halo satellite orbit control. Previous truncated analytical descriptions were limited and lead to an acceleration error averaging about .000001, which is the 'cost' of a very tight control to the nominal path. The stationkeeping problem is posed so as to permit a looser, optimal three-axis control

Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Precepts and Ethics for the Orthopaedic Population

Since the emergence of reports such as the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care (2013) and the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses Palliative Care Consensus Document (2005), there continues to be a growing recognition of the multiple adverse effects of serious illness and chronic conditions, as well as the potential benefits of receiving palliative or end-of-life care. As modern technology expands its ability to support life, ethical dilemmas may be encountered in the provision of palliative or end-of-life care. Through integration of the precepts of palliative care and consideration of the relevant ethical principles, orthopaedic nurses may best meet their patients\u27 comprehensive needs at an exceedingly difficult time

Rigorous Error Bounds on Position and Velocity in Satellite Orbit Theories

Error bounds on position and velocity in satellite orbit theorie

Develop minimum thrustor control laws and select orbits for a geodesy drag-free satellite

The original motivation for studying control laws for pulse plasma systems was based on the improved life characteristics possible with pulse plasma jets. These pulse plasma units are relatively massive compared with cold gas thrustors. As a result, therefore, significant mass savings can be achieved by minimizing the the number of thrustors. The control laws, therefore, were developed for thrust available from two thrustors only. In a spinning satellite, these thrustors are sufficient to completely control the vehicle as long as the spin rate is sufficiently high for a given level of external disturbance. The thrustors are canted so that a component of each is along the plus and minus spin axis. The other component of each thrustor acts in the radial direction. It is sufficient to analyze the behavior in the plane of spin assuming a single thrustor

Student Progression – A Multifaceted Phenomenon

This study explored the progression of a cohort of first-year student nurses. A Model of Student Progression was designed based on a review of the student nurse attrition literature, Erikson’s and Chickering’s identity development theories and Tinto’s student integration model. The Model acted as a framework for the pragmatic, mixed- methods study’s design. Data (questionnaire, interview and exam board data) was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic ‘interpretive description’. Findings indicated that some background and demographic factors had a significant link with end-of-year grades (ethnicity, religion, academic self-perception, and entry qualifications). Interviews highlighted themes affecting progress (student preparation for study, course expectations, support, motivation, integration and career choice). It was found that the Model provided a suitable framework for the study and that student progression is multifaceted and often belies a complex interaction of a range of influential factors

Clinical Observation Reflections from Students in an Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Course

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how a brief clinical observation encounter contributed to students’ experiences in an interdisciplinary palliative care course. This course was required of all graduate nursing students and was available as an elective for medical and other healthcare professions students at a healthcare sciences university. The students were required to spend approximately 8 to 12 hours attending interdisciplinary team meetings or accompanying a team on rounds and patient visits. The students’ summary narratives of their observation experience were analyzed in this qualitative study that focused on six categories of feedback: (1) patients’ and families’ reactions, (2) communication issues with patients and families, (3) how the palliative care team speaks with the patient and family, (4) communication within the interdisciplinary team, (5) students’ reflections, and (6) students’ suffering. This study demonstrated that a clinical observation activity can be a valuable introduction to palliative care principles for healthcare students in an interdisciplinary course. Students benefited from gaining insight into family/practitioner communications regarding difficult issues, interdisciplinary roles and cooperation, and application of palliative care principles to clinical practice. Further research is required to identify appropriate interventions to deal with student distress resulting from such early career clinical encounters

Role of interferon in Semliki Forest virus encephalitis

The type I interferon (IFN) system is a potent anti-viral innate immune response. It is primed by IFN-p and IFN-0C4, which are the immediately expressed IFNs following detection of virus infection. IFN-P establishes the anti-viral immune response within the infected cell, augments further IFN production through the induced expression of IRF-7, a transcription factor for other IFN-as, and promotes the adaptive immune response. Induction of IFN-P requires the activation of multiple transcription factors, including NF-kB; some of these are maintained in an inactive state within the cytoplasm of the resting cell. PKR is an IFN-induced, dsRNA-activated kinase capable of phosphorylating and activating the IkK, which ultimately releases NF-kB enabling its nuclear translocation. Within the nucleus NF-kB associates with IRF-3 and AP-1 on the IFN-P promoter to induce IFN-P expression. Delineation of the pathways that result in IFN-P expression has revealed viral proteins which target components of these signalling networks. To date no anti-IFN mechanisms have been observed for Semliki Forest virus (SFV), an alphavirus of the Togaviridae. The SFV genome is 11 kb in length and encodes two open reading frames; the non-structural proteins (nsP 1-4), which encode the replicase complex and the structural proteins. Studies with Sindbis virus, a closely related alphavirus have suggested that nsP2 may play a role in IFN suppression. Previous studies with SFV nsP2 observed that 50 % of nsP2 was translocated to the nucleus. When nsP2 nuclear translocation is prevented, the infection has reduced neuropathology.`This thesis explores the importance of IFN in SFV encephalitis. A quantitative PCR assay for IFN-P and IFN-a transcripts and a quantitative IFN bioassay were developed to determine differences in IFN expression under different infection conditions. Mouse models and primary cell lines were used to establish the importance of PKR for IFN-P expression during SFV infection and to determine whether SFV nsP2 has a role in modulating IFN responses. In the absence of PKR, at early times post-infection, cultured cells reproducibly produced significantly lower levels of IFN-P transcripts. Reduced levels of functional IFN were also demonstrated xii by bioassay. Previous data has shown that PKR is not required for IFN-P induction. The sensitivity of the qPCR assay has allowed the demonstration that PKR, although not critical for IFN induction, is involved in IFN-P induction and is particularly important at early time points post-infection.SFV-nsP2 has been postulated to be involved in IFN interference. Comparing SFV4 to SFV4-nsP2-RDR (a mutant virus with a single amino acid change within the nuclear localisation signal of nsP2, which prevents its translocation into the nucleus) demonstrated that relative to the number of infected cells, the SFV4nsP2-RDR mutant induced over ten-fold more IFN-P transcripts than the wildtype SFV4 strain; this upregulation was specific to IFN-p. The IFN bioassay results supported this data; SFV4-nsP2-RDR induced higher functional IFN levels in comparison to wt SFV4. Both viruses grew to similar titres and at similar rates. In the mutant and wt infections both NF-kB and IRF-3 translocated into the nucleus; however, preliminary EMSA data has suggested that the amount ofNF-kB bound to the IFN-P promoter is reduced during a wt infection. This suggests a possible mechanism for the differential IFN expression and represents the first IFN evasion mechanism described for Semliki Forest virus