A smartphone-based health care chatbot to promote self-management of chronic pain (SELMA) : pilot randomized controlled trial

Background: Ongoing pain is one of the most common diseases and has major physical, psychological, social, and economic impacts. A mobile health intervention utilizing a fully automated text-based health care chatbot (TBHC) may offer an innovative way not only to deliver coping strategies and psychoeducation for pain management but also to build a working alliance between a participant and the TBHC. Objective: The objectives of this study are twofold: (1) to describe the design and implementation to promote the chatbot painSELfMAnagement (SELMA), a 2-month smartphone-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) TBHC intervention for pain self-management in patients with ongoing or cyclic pain, and (2) to present findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial, in which effectiveness, influence of intention to change behavior, pain duration, working alliance, acceptance, and adherence were evaluated. Methods: Participants were recruited online and in collaboration with pain experts, and were randomized to interact with SELMA for 8 weeks either every day or every other day concerning CBT-based pain management (n=59), or weekly concerning content not related to pain management (n=43). Pain-related impairment (primary outcome), general well-being, pain intensity, and the bond scale of working alliance were measured at baseline and postintervention. Intention to change behavior and pain duration were measured at baseline only, and acceptance postintervention was assessed via self-reporting instruments. Adherence was assessed via usage data. Results: From May 2018 to August 2018, 311 adults downloaded the SELMA app, 102 of whom consented to participate and met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the women (88/102, 86.4%) and men (14/102, 13.6%) participating was 43.7 (SD 12.7) years. Baseline group comparison did not differ with respect to any demographic or clinical variable. The intervention group reported no significant change in pain-related impairment (P=.68) compared to the control group postintervention. The intention to change behavior was positively related to pain-related impairment (P=.01) and pain intensity (P=.01). Working alliance with the TBHC SELMA was comparable to that obtained in guided internet therapies with human coaches. Participants enjoyed using the app, perceiving it as useful and easy to use. Participants of the intervention group replied with an average answer ratio of 0.71 (SD 0.20) to 200 (SD 58.45) conversations initiated by SELMA. Participants’ comments revealed an appreciation of the empathic and responsible interaction with the TBHC SELMA. A main criticism was that there was no option to enter free text for the patients’ own comments. Conclusions: SELMA is feasible, as revealed mainly by positive feedback and valuable suggestions for future revisions. For example, the participants’ intention to change behavior or a more homogenous sample (eg, with a specific type of chronic pain) should be considered in further tailoring of SELMA

Harmonic oscillator model for current- and field-driven magnetic vortices

In experiments the distinction between spin-torque and Oersted-field driven magnetization dynamics is still an open problem. Here, the gyroscopic motion of current- and field-driven magnetic vortices in small thin-film elements is investigated by analytical calculations and by numerical simulations. It is found that for small harmonic excitations the vortex core performs an elliptical rotation around its equilibrium position. The global phase of the rotation and the ratio between the semi-axes are determined by the frequency and the amplitude of the Oersted field and the spin torque

Evaluating On-Farm Biodiversity: A Comparison of Assessment Methods

Strategies to stop the loss of biodiversity in agriculture areas will be more successful if farmers have the means to understand changes in biodiversity on their farms and to assess the effectiveness of biodiversity promoting measures. There are several methods to assess on-farm biodiversity but it may be difficult to select the most appropriate method for a farmer’s individual circumstances. This study aims to evaluate the usability and usefulness of four biodiversity assessment methods that are available to farmers in Switzerland. All four methods were applied to five case study farms, which were ranked according to the results. None of the methods were able to provide an exact statement on the current biodiversity status of the farms, but each method could provide an indication, or approximation, of one or more aspects of biodiversity. However, the results also showed that it is possible to generate different statements on the state of biodiversity on the same farms by using different biodiversity assessment methods. All methods showed strengths and weaknesses so, when choosing a method, the purpose of the biodiversity assessment should be kept in the foreground and the limitations of the chosen methods should be considered when interpreting the outcomes

Status Quo der Biodiversitätsbewertung in Ökobilanzen

During the last years the demand and use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for calculating and comparing the ecological impacts of agricultural products has increased. However, within LCA important environmental impacts of agriculture, for instance biodiversity, soil quality or animal welfare are considered inadequately or stay unaccounted. In the case of biodiversity agriculture is considered as the main driver for the worldwide biodiversity loss. Thus, biodiversity cannot be neglected in future agricultural LCAs. Even though there is no widely accepted approach yet, a lot of research has been undertaken to solve the question how biodiversity can be assessed in the LCA framework. Within a literature review eleven studies with biodiversity assessment approaches for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) were analysed and compared. The results of this review will be the basis for the development of a new LCIA method for biodiversit

Current-Driven Domain-Wall Dynamics in Curved Ferromagnetic Nanowires

The current-induced motion of a domain wall in a semicircle nanowire with applied Zeeman field is investigated. Starting from a micromagnetic model we derive an analytical solution which characterizes the domain-wall motion as a harmonic oscillation. This solution relates the micromagnetic material parameters with the dynamical characteristics of a harmonic oscillator, i.e., domain-wall mass, resonance frequency, damping constant, and force acting on the wall. For wires with strong curvature the dipole moment of the wall as well as its geometry influence the eigenmodes of the oscillator. Based on these results we suggest experiments for the determination of material parameters which otherwise are difficult to access. Numerical calculations confirm our analytical solution and show its limitations

The spiders (Araneae) of pure pine and birch stands on restored open dump sites in Saxony and Brandenburg (Germany)

The spiders (Araneae) of pure pine and birch stands on restored open dump sites in Saxony and Brandenburg (Germany). The spider communities of four restored, afforested pure stands of first generation pine, birch and birch-robinia in the postmining landscape and one natural pine forest of the Lower Lusatia (Germany: Saxony and Brandenburg) were investigated. From 1997-98 a total of 6368 spiders were caught using stemeclectors and pitfall traps. More than 50% of the specimens collected were juveniles. The remaining individuals were identified and represent 123 species from 23 families. Among them several taxa are listed in the Red Data Lists of Germany (n = 16), Brandenburg (n = 13) and Saxony (n = 14). One species, Clubiona leucaspis is rare in Germany and new to Saxony. When comparing afforested stands of pine on postmining areas with natural ones the species Coelotes terrestris (Amaurobiidae) was observed exclusively in the latter. The absence of this species on restored sites seems to indicate a disturbance of the soil up to almost 60 years after the end of restoration. According to pitfall trapping in three pine forests the increasing biomass of spiders indicates a high predation rate at the oldest site, whereas the highest species diversity was found on younger, rehabilitated sites.Die Spinnengemeinschaft der Stamm- und stammnahen Bodenregion von vier Forststandorten auf rekultivierten Kippenböden des Niederlausitzer Braunkohlenreviers wurde untersucht. Von 1997-1998 wurde die Stammzönose mittels Stammeklektoren und zusätzlich 1998 die epigäische Spinnenfauna der stammnahen Bereiche durch Bodenfallen erfasst. Als Referenz zu den untersuchten Kippenstandorten diente ein alter Kiefernreinbestand auf natürlich geschichtetem Boden. Von den erfassten Spinnen (6368 Individuen) waren 50,2% juvenil. Die adulten Tiere konnten 123 Arten aus 23 Familien zugeordnet werden. Eine Art, Clubiona leucaspis, war neu für Sachsen, 23 Arten werden in der Roten Liste Deutschlands (n = 16), Brandenburgs (n = 13) und Sachsens (n = 15) aufgeführt. Die unterschiedliche Vorgeschichte (rekultiviert oder natürlich) und der Baumbesatz (Kiefer oder Birke) der Untersuchungsflächen bedingte zum Teil deutliche Unterschiede hinsichtlich verschiedener populationsökologischer Parameter (Familien-, Artenzahl, Diversität, Aktivitätsbiomasse). Die Ergebnisse werden hinsichtlich der daraus resultierenden Folgen für den Natur- und Artenschutz, die Dominanzstruktur der Spinnenzönosen, die natürliche Schädlingsregulation diskutiert. Die Abwesenheit einzelner Taxa (hier: Coelotes terrestris und Hahnia helveola) wird als Indikator für eine Unterbrechung der Faunentradition interpretiert

Girls and violence: a neglected aspect of school violence research

Ausgehend von dem Befund, nach dem Schülergewalt vorrangig ein Jungenphänomen ist, wird mit Hilfe der Daten einer repräsentativen Schüler(innen)befragung und einer qualitativen Schulfallstudie der Frage nachgegangen, ob es auch weibliche \u27Täter\u27 gibt. Die kleine Gruppe aggressiver Mädchen (4%), die sich an Schulen häufig in physische Auseinandersetzungen begibt, steht in diesem Beitrag im Zentrum des Interesses. Vergleicht man die Minderheit der weiblichen \u27Täter\u27 mit der entsprechenden Gruppe der männlichen \u27Täter\u27, sind kaum geschlechtstypische Unterschiede festzustellen. Das zeigt sich in Ausprägung und Häufigkeit selbstberichteten Gewalthandelns sowie bei Einstellungen Gewalt gegenüber. Auch die wahrgenommene Qualität der innerschulischen und außerschulischen Sozialisationskontexte variieren zwischen Täterinnen und Tätern kaum, zwischen Täter(inne)n und an Gewalt unbeteiligten Schüler(inne)n dagegen erheblich. Für aggressive Mädchen hat sich ein gewaltbefürwortendes Klima in der Freundesgruppe als gewaltverstärkender Faktor herausgestellt, während ein durch Akzeptanz getragenes Lehrerverhalten bei Mädchen offensichtlich gewaltmindernd wirkt. (DIPF/Orig.)Research findings show that violence in schools is primarily carried out by male students. Using the data ofa representative student questionaire as well as a qualitative school case study, this investigation focuses on school violence carried out by girls, in particular the small group of aggressive girls (4%) who are frequently involved in physical conflicts in school. A comparison of this small group of female offenders with the corresponding group of male offenders reveals few gender differences in the forms and in frequency of self-reported violent acts as well as in attitudes toward violence. Few differences are found in the way female and male offenders perceive the quality of their social environment within and outside of the school. In contrast large differences were found between the perceptions of offenders and pupils not involved in violence. For violent girls a climate of approval of violence in their peer group appears to be a factor which increases violent behaviors whereas teachers\u27 acceptance of such girls as persons apparently reduces violent behaviors. (DIPF/Orig.

Zur Differenz zwischen Religion und Religiosität bei jungen Menschen. Ein Problemaufriss

Streib H. Zur Differenz zwischen Religion und Religiosität bei jungen Menschen. Ein Problemaufriss. In: Meier U, Kropac U, König K, eds. Zwischen Religion und Religiosität. Regensburg: Pustet; 2015: 27-40