Self-management, self-efficacy, and secondary health conditions in people with spinal cord injury

This thesis is about self-management, confidence, and secondary health conditions of people who were recently confronted with spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injury is a relative rare condition that not only causes paralysis and sensibility defects it may also affect autonomic functions like control over bladder and bowel functioning. These changes make self-management important in preventing secondary health conditions, for instance pressure injuries, urinary tract infections, pain, but also anxiety and depressive mood, if possible. The execution of self-management by people with a spinal cord injury depends on knowledge, skills and confidence in their ability to manage their condition.The results of the seven presented studies show that confidence in their ability to manage their condition is an important factor for the occurrence of mental secondary health conditions. For the physical secondary health conditions more research necessary. Further it was found that the questionnaires, currently used to measure confidence, measure mostly personality traits and not the state aspects of confidence. While these state aspects are supposed to highly correlated with adjustment after spinal cord injury, there is a need for a sensitive state questionnaire in clinical practice. Confidence being an important aspect of adjusting after spinal cord injury, this should be emphasized during rehabilitation after spinal cord injury. This can be done by making confidence an important rehabilitation target. The whole rehabilitation team can work on this target in an interdisciplinary approach

Examining the Effectiveness of Support for UK Wave Energy Innovation since 2000 : Lost at Sea or a New Wave of Innovation?

Almost 20 years after the UK’s first wave energy innovation programme came to an end in the 1980s, a new programme to accelerate the development of wave energy technology was launched. It was believed that wave energy could play a central role in helping to deliver a low-carbon, secure and affordable energy system, as well as provide an important boost to the UK economy through the growth of a new domestic industry. However, despite almost £200m of public funds being invested in UK wave energy innovation since 2000, wave energy technology remains some distance away from commercialisation. Consequently, this report examines the extent to which the failure to deliver a commercially viable wave energy device can be attributed to weaknesses in both government and industry’s support for wave energy innovation in the UK

Using the ‘Autodidact’ Subject-Object Interview in coaching: The experience of learning to administer and score the Subject-Object Interview through self-teaching

The use of the in coaching is on the increase. This qualitative study discusses the experience of a coach who taught herself to conduct, analyse and score the Subject-Object Interview (SOI) (Lahey, Souvaine, Kegan, Goodman & Felix, 2011). Using heuristic inquiry the study explored what is involved in learning to conduct the SOI with the aid of a written guide; how the coach and eight volunteers describe benefits and limitations of an autodidact approach to SOI (ASOI) and what would be the implications of using the ASOI in coaching practice for coach, client and the coaching profession. An important finding was that participants considered coach credentials and experience more important than their status as SOI practitioner. Trust between participant and coach emerged as key to a successful ASOI and timing of the ASOI, ethical issues and contracting are of crucial importance. An approach for the use of the ASOI in the coaching process is proposed, offering scope for further research and discussion

Pasteurella multocida-toxin induced atrophic rhinitis in piglets

Progressive atrophic rhinitis (AR) is a complex of disease symptoms caused by infection with toxigenic Pasteurella multocida . Environmental and animal factors contribute to the severity of the disease. Their impact and relationship with severity of disease are inadequately understood and remain to be quantified in their effects. In this thesis, two areas of interest in atrophic rhinitis have been studied. A challenge model with Pasteurella multocida derived toxin (Pm-T) to mimic the disease was developed. Next, the impact of some aspects of climatic environment and the relationship with the severity of AR on health and metabolism of piglets were studied. Furthermore, investigations on the role of the immune system in atrophic rhinitis have been conducted with emphasis on mechanisms underlying the apparent lack of conventional (classic) immune responses to Pm-T. The Pm-T challenge resulted mainly in a lower food intake with concomitant lower weight gain, and in a reduced heat production caused by decreased activity of the pigs. Immunological features of Pm-T suggest T cell involvement in the pathogenesis of AR. Though the immune responses during AR remain far from understood, it is hypothesized that AR has autoimmune like features, with Pm-T triggering T cells to initiate destruction of nasal bony tissue