A jigsaw puzzle framework for homogenization of high porosity foams

An approach to homogenization of high porosity metallic foams is explored. The emphasis is on the \Alporas{} foam and its representation by means of two-dimensional wire-frame models. The guaranteed upper and lower bounds on the effective properties are derived by the first-order homogenization with the uniform and minimal kinematic boundary conditions at heart. This is combined with the method of Wang tilings to generate sufficiently large material samples along with their finite element discretization. The obtained results are compared to experimental and numerical data available in literature and the suitability of the two-dimensional setting itself is discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 3 table

Proposing a Framework for the Restorative Effects of Nature through Conditioning: Conditioned Restoration Theory

Natural environments have been shown to trigger psychological and physiological restoration in humans. A new framework regarding natural environments restorative properties is proposed. Conditioned restoration theory builds on a classical conditioning paradigm, postulating the occurrence of four stages: (i) unconditioned restoration, unconditioned positive affective responses reliably occur in a given environment (such as in a natural setting); (ii) restorative conditioning, the positive affective responses become conditioned to the environment; (iii) conditioned restoration, subsequent exposure to the environment, in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus, retrieves the same positive affective responses; and (iv) stimulus generalization, subsequent exposure to associated environmental cues retrieves the same positive affective responses. The process, hypothetically not unique to natural environments, involve the well-documented phenomenon of conditioning, retrieval, and association and relies on evaluative conditioning, classical conditioning, core affect, and conscious expectancy. Empirical findings showing that restoration can occur in non-natural environments and through various sensory stimuli, as well as findings demonstrating that previous negative experience with nature can subsequently lower restorative effects, are also presented in support of the theory. In integration with other existing theories, the theory should prove to be a valuable framework for future research.publishedVersio

Mindfulness and self-efficacy in pain perception, stress and academic performance. The influence of mindfulness on cognitive processes

Purpose: This study seeks to understand the mediating effects of mindfulness on selfefficacy, academic performance and ability to cope with pain. It further examines the effect of mindfulness on the capacity to cope with pain-induced stress. Whilst there are physiological changes which occur due to mindfulness, it is still not clearly understood how the mechanisms behind mindfulness work or whether the role of self-efficacy is an agent of mindfulness which may impact on performance and stress coping. Participants and methods: A three-part study (n=92) was conducted to test the relationship between mindfulness, self-efficacy and well-being factors, alongside academic performance in university students. Part one involved data collection one month prior to an experiment where trait scores for all factors were used to check pain and well-being behaviors. Part two consisted of participant randomization into three intervention groups(control, sham, mindfulness) and then an exposure to a fear induction task followed by cognitive tasks. The third part consisted of investigating the effect of a short mindfulness intervention on self-efficacy, pain and well-being in students. Results: The results indicate that self-efficacy had a positive effect on well-being factor (study 1 & 3) and in the experiment (study 2). Conclusion: Self-efficacy influenced pain intensity and pain unpleasantness and significantly predicted academic performance. Mindfulness had mixed results in how it influenced self-efficacy. While it influenced well-being and lowered stress (study 1 & 2) in the long term, the mindfulness intervention significantly decreased self efficacy.acceptedVersionpublishedVersio

Response Inhibition and Memory Retrieval of Emotional Target Words: Evidence from an Emotional Stop-Signal Task

Previous research suggests that emotional stimuli capture attention and guide behavior often automatically. The present study investigated the relationship between emotion-driven attention capture and motor response inhibition to emotional words in the stop-signal task. By experimental variations of the onset of motor response inhibition across the time-course of emotional word processing, we show that processing of emotional information significantly interferes with motor response inhibition in an early time-window, previously related to automatic emotion-driven attention capture. Second, we found that stopping reduced memory recall for unpleasant words during a subsequent surprise free recall task supporting assumptions of a link between mechanisms of motor response inhibition and memory functions. Together, our results provide behavioral evidence for dual competition models of emotion and cognition. This study provides an important link between research focusing on different sub-processes of emotion processing (from perception to action and from action to memory)

Effects of music on agitation in dementia: A meta-analysis

publishedVersio

Education for Cognitive Agility: Improved Understanding and Governance of Cyberpower

publishedVersio

Rumination and Age: Some Things Get Better

Rumination has been defined as a mode of responding to distress that involves passively focusing one's attention on symptoms of distress without taking action. This dysfunctional response style intensifies depressed mood, impairs interpersonal problem solving, and leads to more pessimistic future perspectives and less social support. As most of these results were obtained from younger people, it remains unclear how age affects ruminative thinking. Three hundred members of the general public ranging in age from 15 to 87 years were asked about their ruminative styles using the Response Styles Questionnaire (RSQ), depression and satisfaction with life. A Mokken Scale analysis confirmed the two-factor structure of the RSQ with brooding and reflective pondering as subcomponents of rumination. Older participants (63 years and older) reported less ruminative thinking than other age groups. Life satisfaction was associated with brooding and highest for the earlier and latest life stages investigated in this study

Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques to Improve Academic Achievement in Student-Athletes

Abstract: Improving academic grades within the core areas of English, Science and Mathematics has had a lot of previous research interest, but research has tended to mostly focus on students who are failing, non-athletically talented students or student athletes at collegiate level. The particular needs of athletically talented secondary school students who are academically underperforming have so far been neglected. This study addressed this issue by measuring the outcome of academic grades in these three core areas. Method: During a six week intervention programme, ninety four students were separated into 4 groups: control, heart rate variability biofeedback, performance psychology skills training and a combination of these two interventions. Changes in self-efficacy and self-regulation for all students were also measured. Results: Significant pre–post intervention differences in all academic subjects and generalised self-efficacy were found when compared to the control group. Results also showed that a combination of interventions with medium–large effect size was more effective in improving academic results than the single interventions on their own. All interventions improved self-efficacy, but were not significantly different from each other. Self-efficacy was found not to have any interaction effects. Conclusion: Sport psychological skills training can help student-athletes achieve higher scholastic grades and aid mindfulness intervention. Mindfulness on its own was not found to be the most effective intervention, and as such should be used as an adjunct to other psychological methods. Psychological skills training (PST) may help students generalize approaches used in sport to the academic arena.publishedVersio