Stronger than your voices:A cognitive behavioral therapy for youth suffering from auditory verbal hallucinations

Objective: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are a common feature in youth and mostly transient. Nevertheless, while present, AVH can cause considerable distress. Children and adolescents seeking help for distressing AVH represent a heterogeneous group in terms of underlying factors, yet they consistently suffer from their AVH. Until now, a youth-specific psychotherapeutic intervention for AVH was lacking. Experts in the field of treating AVH in both adults and youngsters collaborated with service users to develop the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) "Stronger Than Your Voices" (STYV). We investigated feasibility and clinical outcomes of the STYV therapy. Methods: Patients were derived from children and adolescents seeking help for AVH at the UMC Utrecht outpatient clinic with an indication for STYV therapy. Therapists preferably originated from referring health care facilities and were required to have sufficient general knowledge and experience with CBT. They received a short individual training to apply STYV. After, patients and their therapists could participate this naturalistic pilot study, assessing feasibility, tolerability, and clinical change when applying the STYV therapy. Results: Six participants (10-16 years old), all suffering from comorbid psychopathology, provided pre and post measures, all completing STYV therapy without experiencing an aggravation of symptoms. AVH total impact decreased 40% with Cohen's d within-group effect size (1.28) also suggesting clinically meaningful change. Therapists were positive about STYV therapy and manual. Conclusion: The STYV therapy is feasible for youth with distressing AVH. First results indicate that STYV may be clinically effective. A trial to further test effectiveness in a larger sample is needed

Multiaxial Kitagawa analysis of A356-T6

Experimental Kitagawa analysis has been performed on A356-T6 containing natural and artificial defects. Results are obtained with a load ratio of R = -1 for three different loadings: tension, torsion and combined tension-torsion. The critical defect size determined is 400 \pm 100 \mum in A356-T6 under multiaxial loading. Below this value, the microstructure governs the endurance limit mainly through Secondary Dendrite Arm Spacing (SDAS). Four theoretical approaches are used to simulate the endurance limit characterized by a Kitagawa relationship are compared: Murakami relationships [Y Murakami, Metal Fatigue: Effects of Small Defects and Nonmetallic Inclusions, Elsevier, 2002.], defect-crack equivalency via Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM), the Critical Distance Method (CDM) proposed by Susmel and Taylor [L. Susmel, D. Taylor. Eng. Fract. Mech. 75 (2008) 15.] and the gradient approach proposed by Nadot [Y. Nadot, T. ~Billaudeau. Eng. Fract. Mech. 73 (2006) 1.]. It is shown that the CDM and gradient methods are accurate; however fatigue data for three loading conditions is necessary to allow accurate identification of an endurance limit.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figure

Molecular mechanisms of vaspin action: from adipose tissue to skin and bone, from blood vessels to the brain

Visceral adipose tissue derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) or SERPINA12 according to the serpin nomenclature was identified together with other genes and gene products that  were specifically expressed or overexpressed in the intra abdominal or visceral adipose tissue  (AT) of the Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rat. These rats spontaneously develop visceral  obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and ‐glycemia, as well as hypertension and thus represent a well suited animal model of obesity and related metabolic disorders such as type  2 diabetes.  The follow-up study reporting the cloning, expression and functional characterization of  vaspin suggested the great and promising potential of this molecule to counteract obesity induced insulin resistance and inflammation and has since initiated over 300 publications, clinical and experimental, that have contributed to uncover the multifaceted functions and molecular mechanisms of vaspin action not only in the adipose, but in many different cells, tissues and organs. This review will give an update on mechanistic and structural aspects of vaspin with a focus on its serpin function, the physiology and regulation of vaspin expression, and will summarize the latest on vaspin function in various tissues such as the different adipose tissue depots as well as the vasculature, skin, bone and the brain

Van small data naar big audience: Collecties Zuid-Afrikahuis in bewerking (2)

Tijdens de verbouwing van het Zuid-Afrikahuis (2014-2015) wordt de collectie archieven grondig onder handen genomen. Een verbeterde opslag en een grotere beschikbaarheid voor een diverser publiek dan voorheen zijn daarbij de voornaamste speerpunten. Digitaal collectiebeheer en ontsluiting op internet spelen hierin een belangrijke rol, maar waar te beginnen als kleine kennisinstelling met een vrij speci!eke collectie en een beperkt budget

An infrared spectroscopic (IR) and light element (Li, Be, Na) study of cordierites from the Bamble Sector, south Norway

Infrared absorption spectra and light element contents of several natural cordierites across the Arendal amphibolite-granulite facies transition, Bamble Sector, south Norway are presented. The infrared spectra record HO (both type-I and type-II) and CO as fluid constituents in the channels, CO and hydrocarbons were not detected. Type-II water and (Ca+Na+K) are correlated and show a 2:1 molar ratio. The infrared and light element data indicate a decrease of Na, type-II HO, CO and Li with metamorphic grade, while type-I HO and Be are variable. The decrease of these volatiles and alkalies and the low total volatile contents of the granulite facies cordierites are best explained by progressive dehydration and decarbonation processes, possibly related to partial melting. A progressive change of the X= HO (HO+CO) ratio in the cordierites across the transition, as suggested by previous studies, is not observed. Greenschist to low-amphibolite facies re-equilibrated cordierites show a significant increase in either CO, or HO+CO. Na is introduced at some localities. The retrograde fluid phase is calculated to be CO-rich

Development of a 3D Filling Model of Low-Pressure Die-Cast Aluminum Alloy Wheels

Extended Abstract Today, the need of high quality cast components for automotive and aeronautics industries leads to develop the lowpressure casting process This work proposes a characterization of the imposed gas pressure -metal flow velocity relationship in low pressure casting. More precisely, the relative effect of local and global horizontal section changes on filling flow is studied. To do so, experimentally measured and numerically predicted metal front position evolutions are compared in the case of different mould geometries. An AlSi 13 alloy is melt and poured by low pressure casting in 3D printed sand moulds. A 25mbar/s pressure ramp is set for filling. Three different geometries are studied with an identical global horizontal section restriction of 0.24: one cylinder, six cylinders and one ring. To track the experimental metal height evolution, electrical contacts are used. Experimental metal height versus time curves are extracted and reveal an oscillating phenomenon after section changing. Due to this phenomenon, an over-height which is not predicted by the analytical equations is observed. The velocity of the flow reaches values above 0.5m/s, leading to risks of defects. The experimental cases are then simulated using ANSYS Fluent® simulation software. A k-epsilon flow model simulates the whole low pressure systemthe metal in the mould, in the tube and in the furnace and the pressuring gas-. The observed filling oscillations are compared to the oscillations predicted by the model in terms of maximal overweight and velocity for the three studied geometries. A relationship between local and global horizontal section restriction factor and oscillations is proposed. It will allow us to define reliable rules of mould design for limiting turbulence and reaching sound quality in low pressure casting

Complex exsolution microstructures in inverted pigeonites from the Sjelset Igneous Complex, Rogaland, SW Norway

An optical and electron microscope study has been made of inverted pigeonite from the Sjelset Igneous Complex, Rogaland, SW Norway. The inverted pigeonites reveal a Stillwater-type of microstructure; the pigeonite to orthopyroxene transformation has been pre- and post-dated by two stages of augite exsolution (parallel to (001) and (100), respectively). In addition, two distinct microstructural domains have been recognized: 1) single and 2) clusters of inverted pigeonite crystals. Most clusters of pigeonite crystals have been replaced by single orthopyroxene crystals which exhibit domains of differently oriented (001) exsolution lamellae. The mechanism of exsolution is interpreted to be heterogeneous nucleation and growth, while the transformation of pigeonite to orthopyroxene is regarded as massive. -Author