BRUISED BUT NOT BROKEN: HOW COPING STYLES, SPIRITUALITY AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO HOW WELL PEOPLE DO AFTER DIVORCE

The main purpose of this study was to examine how coping styles, spirituality, and social support contributed to divorced persons’ adjustment to life after divorce. The study used a qualitative research design with face‑to‑face interviews. A snowball sample was used in order to inquire divorced participants’ experiences after divorce. Twelve participants were interviewed to obtain their individual experiences and discernment of divorce transition. The study found that spirituality (e.g., attending church, Bible reading, prayers) was a major copying strategy used by most of the participants after divorce. The study also revealed that the support of family and friends was utilized as another critical coping strategy to help aid divorcees in their transition to post divorce life. In addition, the findings of the study suggested that divorced participants, particularly females, were quite resilient in overcoming financial hardship, single parenting, loneliness, and abandonment. This study’s results suggest that social workers need to be more knowledgeable about and equipped to provide adequate support and therapy to divorced persons’ post‑divorcé adjustment challenges. Another practice recommendation is that social workers should play a critical role in developing and facilitating a support group to help divorcees that are transitioning post‑divorce. In addition, special attention should be paid to provide additional help and support services for men who suffer mental and emotional effects of divorce transition

The timing performance of scintillator detectors

The timing performance of the scintillator detector is of critical importance to positron emission tomography. An improvement in this quantity will lead to dramatically improved image quality giving better information to clinicians. With the recent large improvements in the performance of scintillator detectors, due to switches to new inorganic scintillator crystals such as LYSO and new photodetectors such as MPPCs, smaller e ects are no longer negligible if we wish to continue to improve. In this PhD I present a Fisher Information based statistical model. This allows light-based contributions to the timing performance to be quanti ed. The model allows us to suggest areas of attack which could lead to further improvement in scintillator detector performance. To validate this model, experimental work has been carried out at UCL and CERN. This validation is split into radiation and optical measurements. I rst present a new study into the e ect of the interaction position within the scintillator crystal upon the timing performance. The radiation results demonstrate no relationship between the two e ects. Secondly to explore this relationship further, I performed measurements looking at how the surface pro le of the scintillator crystal alters light propagation through it. These measurements are performed using time correlated single photon counting and a re ection goniophotometer. The optical results demonstrate the surface can delay propagation of light through the scintillator crystal. With the validated model, estimates of the Cramer Rao Lower Bound are made for vari- ous potential improvements such as preferred direction surface scattering and refractive index mismatch correction. I conclude with the presentation of one potential method; namely util- ising metasurfaces upon the lateral faces of scintillator crystals to scatter light towards the photodetector

Non-invasive molecular imaging of inflammatory macrophages in allograft rejection.

BackgroundMacrophages represent a critical cell type in host defense, development and homeostasis. The ability to image non-invasively pro-inflammatory macrophage infiltrate into a transplanted organ may provide an additional tool for the monitoring of the immune response of the recipient against the donor graft. We therefore decided to image in vivo sialoadhesin (Sn, Siglec 1 or CD169) using anti-Sn mAb (SER-4) directly radiolabelled with (99m)Tc pertechnetate.MethodsWe used a heterotopic heart transplantation model where allogeneic or syngeneic heart grafts were transplanted into the abdomen of recipients. In vivo nanosingle-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging was performed 7 days post transplantation followed by biodistribution and histology.ResultsIn wild-type mice, the majority of (99m)Tc-SER-4 monoclonal antibody cleared from the blood with a half-life of 167 min and was located predominantly on Sn(+) tissues in the spleen, liver and bone marrow. The biodistribution in the transplantation experiments confirmed data derived from the non-invasive SPECT/CT images, with significantly higher levels of (99m)Tc-SER-4 observed in allogeneic grafts (9.4 (±2.7) %ID/g) compared to syngeneic grafts (4.3 (±10.3) %ID/g) (p = 0.0022) or in mice which received allogeneic grafts injected with (99m)Tc-IgG isotype control (5.9 (±0.6) %ID/g) (p = 0.0185). The transplanted heart to blood ratio was also significantly higher in recipients with allogeneic grafts receiving (99m)Tc-SER-4 as compared to recipients with syngeneic grafts (p = 0.000004) or recipients with allogeneic grafts receiving (99m)Tc-IgG isotype (p = 0.000002).ConclusionsHere, we demonstrate that imaging of Sn(+) macrophages in inflammation may provide an important additional and non-invasive tool for the monitoring of the pathophysiology of cellular immunity in a transplant model

The relationships between rugby players’ tackle training attitudes and behaviour and their match tackle attitudes and behaviour

Background The tackle event in rugby is a technical and physical contest between opposing players. A player's ability to tolerate and contest during a tackle is a prerequisite for safe participation and success in rugby. Little is known about the relationship between tackle training and tackling in matches in rugby union. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between players’ training attitudes and behaviour and their match attitudes and behaviour for tackling in rugby union. Method A questionnaire was designed to assess attitude (importance) and behaviours (frequency and quantity) among junior (under 19) players on a 5-point Likert Scale. Questionnaires were handed out to 220 players (10 schools) at a tournament and 75% (9 schools, n=164) were returned for analysis. Associations between training attitudes and behaviours were tested using the χ2 test, Cramer's V and τ-b. Results The more time spent on emphasising proper technique to prevent injuries in training, the more important players rated ‘own safety’ (τ-b=0.21, moderate, z=3.1, p<0.01), ‘going for the ball only’ (τ-b=0.27, moderate, z=4.6, p<0.001) and ‘staying on feet’ (τ-b=0.23, moderate, z=3.6, p<0.001) in match play. The more time spent on emphasising proper technique to improve performance in training, the more important players rated actions ‘going for ball only’ (τ-b=0.23, moderate, z=3.7, p<0.001) and ‘preventing the ball carrier from retaining position’ (τ-b=0.20, moderate, z=3.1, p<0.01) in match play. Conclusions This is the first study to report on the relationships between players’ training attitudes and behaviour and their match attitudes and behaviours for tackling in rugby union. The importance of tackle training to prevent injury, and the amount of time spent on technique to prevent injuries, was associated with behaviours that reduce the risk of injury in matches

Mainstreaming WPS and Gender-based Analysis Plus at the Canadian Defense Academy

The Canadian Armed Forces has a responsibility to integrate the guidance provided by UN Resolutions on WPS into its operational planning, conduct of missions, and across its institutions. The Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) plays a critical role in advancing equity, diversity and culture change as the lead authority for the development of common military training and education. The CDA promotes the professional development and education of members of Canada’s Armed Forces through two undergraduate universities, a Command and Staff College, and a Non-Commission Officer Academy. Our presentation will discuss how the CDA mainstreams WPS and Gender-based Analysis Plus, including through the institutionalization of its Gender Advisor and Gender Focal Point Network, through the integration of WPS and GBA Plus in academic programs and as part of faculty and staff development, and through collaboration with international PME institutions.https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/wps/1014/thumbnail.jp

Skills Associated with Line Breaks in Elite Rugby Union

The ability of the attacking team to break through the defensive line is a key indicator of success as it creates opportunities to score tries. The aim of this study was to analyse line breaks and identify the associated skills and playing characteristics. The 2013 Super Rugby season (125 games) was analysed, in which 362 line breaks were identified and coded using variables that assessed team patterns and non-contact attacking skills in the phases preceding the line break. There was an average of 3 line breaks per game, with 39% of line breaks resulting in a try. Line breaks occurred when the ball-carrier was running fast [61%, x 2 (4) = 25.784, p = 0.000, Cramer’s v = 0.1922, weak]. At a moderate distance, short lateral passes (19%) and skip passes (15%) attributed to the highest percentage of line breaks [x 2 (26) = 50.899, p = 0.036, Cramer’s v = 0.2484, moderate]. Faster defensive line speeds resulted in more line breaks [x 2 (12) = 61.703, p < 0.001, Cramer’s v = 0.3026, moderate]. Line breaks are associated with overall team success and try scoring opportunities. Awareness of the defenders line speed and depth, fast running speed when receiving the ball and quick passing between attackers to the outside backs creates line break opportunities. During training, coaches should emphasise the movement speed of the ball between attackers and manipulate the speed and distance of the defenders