2,291 research outputs found
The Growth of Legal Aid Work
This thesis presents an aircfaft concept, The Joyride, supposed to satisfy the future demand for sustainable hobby aircrafts. The work was done through research on evironmental friendly aircfaft complimented by lectures on aircfaft dynamics held by supervisor Arne Karlsson. A propulsion system was designed and two different future energy sources were examined. Sizing and performance analyses were exectued in an iterative trial and error fashion to fulfill the specified aims for the aircraft. The final results present a zero-emissions, light weight, blended wing body aircraft. The Joyride has got a maximum takeoff gross weight of less than 800 kg, wingspan of 16 m, wingarea of 24 m2, cruise altitude of 6000 m and a maximum range of 850 km. It is equipped with an electric motor with a peak power of 120 kW-161 hp. This makes and completing a 180° turn in just over 6 seconds, in other words perfectly suited for an aircraft enthusiast. It is the authros' belief that The Joyride is possible to realize within a timeframe of 50 years
The motivation and pleasure dimension of negative symptoms: neural substrates and behavioral outputs.
A range of emotional and motivation impairments have long been clinically documented in people with schizophrenia, and there has been a resurgence of interest in understanding the psychological and neural mechanisms of the so-called "negative symptoms" in schizophrenia, given their lack of treatment responsiveness and their role in constraining function and life satisfaction in this illness. Negative symptoms comprise two domains, with the first covering diminished motivation and pleasure across a range of life domains and the second covering diminished verbal and non-verbal expression and communicative output. In this review, we focus on four aspects of the motivation/pleasure domain, providing a brief review of the behavioral and neural underpinnings of this domain. First, we cover liking or in-the-moment pleasure: immediate responses to pleasurable stimuli. Second, we cover anticipatory pleasure or wanting, which involves prediction of a forthcoming enjoyable outcome (reward) and feeling pleasure in anticipation of that outcome. Third, we address motivation, which comprises effort computation, which involves figuring out how much effort is needed to achieve a desired outcome, planning, and behavioral response. Finally, we cover the maintenance emotional states and behavioral responses. Throughout, we consider the behavioral manifestations and brain representations of these four aspects of motivation/pleasure deficits in schizophrenia. We conclude with directions for future research as well as implications for treatment
Three-dimensional elastic stress and displacement analysis of finite geometry solids containing cracks
The line method of analysis is applied to the Navier-Cauchy equations of elastic equilibrium to calculate the displacement fields in finite geometry bars containing central, surface, and double-edge cracks under extensionally applied uniform loading. The application of this method to these equations leads to coupled sets of simultaneous ordinary differential equations whose solutions are obtained along sets of lines in a discretized region. Normal stresses and the stress intensity factor variation along the crack periphery are calculated using the obtained displacement field. The reported results demonstrate the usefulness of this method in calculating stress intensity factors for commonly encountered crack geometries in finite solids
Recommended from our members
Psychosocial treatments for negative symptoms in schizophrenia: current practices and future directions.
Schizophrenia can be a chronic and debilitating psychiatric disorder. Though advancements have been made in the psychosocial treatment of some symptoms of schizophrenia, people with schizophrenia often continue to experience some level of symptoms, particularly negative symptoms, throughout their lives. Because negative symptoms are associated with poor functioning and quality of life, the treatment of negative symptoms is a high priority for intervention development. However, current psychosocial treatments primarily focus on the reduction of positive symptoms with comparatively few studies investigating the efficacy of psychosocial treatments for negative symptoms. In this article, we review and evaluate the existing literature on three categories of psychosocial treatments--cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), social skills training (SST), and combined treatment interventions--and their impact on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Of the interventions reviewed, CBT and SST appear to have the most empirical support, with some evidence suggesting that CBT is associated with maintenance of negative symptom improvement beyond six months after treatment. It remains unclear if a combined treatment approach provides improvements above and beyond those associated with each individual treatment modality. Although psychosocial treatments show promise for the treatment of negative symptoms, there are many unanswered questions about how best to intervene. We conclude with a general discussion of these unanswered questions, future directions and methodological considerations, and suggestions for the further development of negative symptom interventions
Controlling the Dengue Mosquito (Aedes aegypti): Assessment of the Effects of Metofluthrin, a Novel Vapor-Active Pyrethroid, on Mosquito Behavior in a Modeled Domestic Setting.
Dengue fever is a potentially life-threatening illness that is endemic in over 100 countries and threatens approximately half of the world’s population. The dengue virus is transmitted between humans by a mosquito vector, principally the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti. This mosquito prefers to live and feed in and around people’s homes. As a result, preventing mosquito bites within a domestic setting is essential to controlling the dengue virus. Although several methods of bite prevention are currently available to the public, most of these methods only provide short-term protection from the dengue mosquito. In contrast, a recently developed synthetic pyrethroid called metofluthrin, when embedded in paper or plastic material, has been shown to effectively prevent Ae. aegypti from biting for several weeks. However, previous studies have disagreed over the ability of metofluthrin to spatially repel mosquitoes from a room. Furthermore, most metofluthrin studies have exposed large groups of mosquitoes to the chemical, and thus have not observed mosquito behavior on the individual level. The aim of this study was to use a small-scale model of a domestic setting to observe the behavior of individual Ae. aegypti when exposed to metofluthrin. The model domestic setting consisted of a large container with a window, a dark harborage area, and an entrance port through which a blood meal could be offered to the mosquito. 34 female, laboratory-reared Ae. aegypti desiring a blood meal were released into the container one at a time, and their movements through the container were recorded during a five-minute control and five-minute metofluthrin period. Metofluthrin was found to dramatically reduce the number of human landings made by the mosquito, and appeared to spatially repel the mosquito to the window of the container. These observations indicate that metofluthrin has the potential to be an effective method of controlling Ae. aegypti in a domestic setting. However, public acceptance and widespread use of metofluthrin is necessary for this mosquito control method to effectively prevent dengue outbreaks. To evaluate the efficacy of dengue education efforts in North Queensland, Australia and the likelihood that metofluthrin would be adopted as a mosquito control method in this region, 33 Cairns residents were interviewed. In general, Cairns residents were moderately knowledgeable about the dengue control techniques publicized by Queensland Health, and a high proportion expressed interest in using metofluthrin in their homes
Unseen Affective Faces Influence Person Perception Judgments in Schizophrenia.
To demonstrate the influence of unconscious affective processing on consciously processed information among people with and without schizophrenia, we used a continuous flash suppression (CFS) paradigm to examine whether early and rapid processing of affective information influences first impressions of structurally neutral faces. People with and without schizophrenia rated visible neutral faces as more or less trustworthy, warm, and competent when paired with unseen smiling or scowling faces compared to when paired with unseen neutral faces. Yet, people with schizophrenia also exhibited a deficit in explicit affect perception. These findings indicate that early processing of affective information is intact in schizophrenia but the integration of this information with semantic contexts is problematic. Furthermore, people with schizophrenia who were more influenced by smiling faces presented outside awareness reported experiencing more anticipatory pleasure, suggesting that the ability to rapidly process affective information is important for anticipation of future pleasurable events
Recommended from our members
The power to resist: the relationship between power, stigma, and negative symptoms in schizophrenia.
Stigmatizing beliefs about mental illness can be a daily struggle for people with schizophrenia. While investigations into the impact of internalizing stigma on negative symptoms have yielded mixed results, resistance to stigmatizing beliefs has received little attention. In this study, we examined the linkage between internalized stigma, stigma resistance, negative symptoms, and social power, or perceived ability to influence others during social interactions among people with schizophrenia. Further, we sought to determine whether resistance to stigma would be bolstered by social power, with greater power in relationships with other possibly buffering against motivation/pleasure negative symptoms. Fifty-one people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed measures of social power, internalized stigma, and stigma resistance. Negative symptoms were assessed using the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). Greater social power was associated with less internalized stigma and negative symptoms as well as more stigma resistance. Further, the relationship between social power and negative symptoms was partially mediated by stigma resistance. These findings provide evidence for the role of stigma resistance as a viable target for psychosocial interventions aimed at improving motivation and social power in people with schizophrenia
Automated testing data reduction computer program
The capability of a computer program which can be part of a larger computer program for a fully automated multiaxial testing facility is described. The program was designed to process test data from tubular or flat specimens made from isotropic or anistropic materials, including high modulus fiber composites. Data from a large number of strain gages and combinations of applied loads can be used. Options are provided for single element, 90-degree, rectangular or Delta rosettes, or any combinations of these types of strain gages. Options are provided for strain gage transverse sensitivities. The program outputs include: structural axes strains and stresses, initial and strain-dependent elastic constants, shift of principal strain direction with load, and local curvatures from back-to-back strain gages, and either Calcomp or microfilm plots. The computer program is described with respect to its flow chart, input/output, embedding or linking with other programs
- …