No description available.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in a group setting for 8 weeks on the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for women diagnosed with PTSD due to childhood trauma who have not served in the military. ACT was developed using contextualism with relational frame theory being the foundation for contextualism. Women diagnosed with PTSD due to childhood trauma were found to have higher rates of attempted suicide, higher rates of mental health disorders, as well as higher rates of medical disorders than those who were not diagnosed with PTSD. The PTSD symptoms were measured using the PTSD checklist-civilian (PCL-C). The PCL-C was completed during Session 1 and Session 8 of ACT group therapy. There was a total of 24 PCL-C score sheets utilized for this study and only the score sheets of women diagnosed with PTSD due to childhood trauma who did not have a thought disorder were included. The research design was considered a pre-experimental design and the statistical design used was ANOVA with repeated measures using subject x trials. Cohen's estimate of small effect size was used. Secondary data analysis was conducted using archival data from a community mental health agency. According to the statistical measure of the repeated ANOVA the null hypothesis was rejected as there was sufficient evidence to support that using ACT in a group setting for 8 weeks can decrease PTSD symptoms as measured by the PCL-C. This study contributes to social change by decreasing symptoms of PTSD, therefore decreasing suicidal thoughts, as well as behaviors, and lead to an increase in overall functioning and prosocial behaviors.

No description available.

Resíduos produzidos em atividades industriais podem trazer danos significativos ao ambiente, principalmente quando estes não são degradáveis (ou são dificilmente degradáveis) por processos naturais. Polímeros sintéticos estão entre os principais resíduos descartados na natureza, permanecendo inertes por séculos e interferindo em processos ecológicos. Diante deste contexto, explorar o potencial biodegradável de plásticos e uma alternativa na substituição de embalagens descartáveis. Para a construção e otimização de materiais biodegradáveis, faz-se necessária a compreensão da ação da microbiota natural em processos de biodegradação natural. Neste trabalho, buscou-se compreender a dinâmica de microrganismos do filo Bacteroidetes no processo de biodegradação de blenda polimérica Poli (ɛ-caprolactona) / Amido/ Proteína Isolada de Soja (PCL/A/PIS), considerando solos e materiais plásticos distintos, como também a presença de genes notadamente associados a degradação biológica. Para tanto, partindo de amostras de DNA obtidas do solo ao longo do processo de biodegradação, foram utilizadas técnicas de PCR e PCR-DGGE (Reação de Polimerização em Cadeia - Eletroforese em Gel com Gradiente Desnaturante). Observou-se que: Bacteroidetes estão presentes em todos os momentos avaliados do processo de biodegradação da Blenda e do PCL; o solo Arenoso, onde a biodegradação e mais efetiva, apresenta comunidades com perfis bem delimitados, que se diferenciam na degradação da Blenda e do PCL; a dinâmica no solo Argiloso não exibe um padrão claro de influencia dos plásticos sobre a comunidade, apontando, porem para uma convergência de similaridade das comunidades sobre blenda e PCL no momento de maior atividade degradativa. Chitinophagaceae e uma família presente na biodegradação, sendo Chitinophaga pinensis uma das espécies presentes; genes exclusivos a esta espécie e outras da mesma família que codificam lipases e proteases, associados a degradação de polímeros pela literatura cientifica, estão presentes nas amostras de solo avaliadas, sendo possíveis atores na biodegradação dos plásticos. Bacteroidetes aparenta ser um filo importante em processos naturais de biodegradação de polímeros em solos, e explorar o potencial deste grupo e da família Chitinophagaceae pode oferecer subsídios para a construção de plásticos mais eficientes em sua biodegradação. / The human productive activity has brought significant damage to the environment, particularly by the disposal of non-degradable waste (or poorly degradable) by natural processes. Synthetic polymers are among the main materials discarded, remaining inert for centuries, causing damage to the natural wildlife or interfering with ecological processes. Given this context, the potential use of biodegradable plastics is an alternative, both for agriculture and for the replacement of disposable packaging. For the construction and optimization of biodegradable materials it is necessary to understand the action of natural microbial communities in the process. Microorganisms have predominant and diversified roles in the biodegradation process, with complex ecological relationships in their responses, either by their phylogenetic relationships or the enzymes used during the process. In this work, we sought to understand the dynamics of Bacteroidetes phylum in the biodegradation process of polymer blend poly (ɛ-caprolactone) / starch / Soy Protein Isolate (PCL/ A/ SPI), considering different soils and plastics, and also the presence of genes associated with biological degradation. Therefore, starting from DNA samples taken from the soil during the biodegradation process, PCR techniques and PCR-DGGE (Polymerization Chain Reaction - Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) were used. It was observed that: the Phylum Bacteroidetes is present in all periods evaluated of the biodegradation process of Blend, PCL and even soils without the addition of plastics; the sandy soil, where the biodegradation is more effective, presents communities with well defined profiles that differ in the degradation of blends and PCL; the dynamics in clay soil does not show a clear pattern of plastics influence over the community, pointing to a convergence of communities similarity in blends and PCL over greater degradation activity. Chitinophagaceae is a family present in biodegradation, Chitinophaga pinensis being one of the species present; genes unique to this species and others of the same family encoding lipases and proteases, associated with the degradation of polymers reported in the scientific literature, are present in the evaluated soil samples, potentially acting on plastics biodegradation. Bacteroidetes appears to be an important phylum in natural processes of polymer biodegradation in soils, and to explore the potential of this taxon and of Chitinophagaceae family can shed light on the construction of more efficient biodegradable plastics.

Resíduos produzidos em atividades industriais podem trazer danos significativos ao ambiente, principalmente quando estes não são degradáveis (ou são dificilmente degradáveis) por processos naturais. Polímeros sintéticos estão entre os principais resíduos descartados na natureza, permanecendo inertes por séculos e interferindo em processos ecológicos. Diante deste contexto, explorar o potencial biodegradável de plásticos e uma alternativa na substituição de embalagens descartáveis. Para a construção e otimização de materiais biodegradáveis, faz-se necessária a compreensão da ação da microbiota natural em processos de biodegradação natural. Neste trabalho, buscou-se compreender a dinâmica de microrganismos do filo Bacteroidetes no processo de biodegradação de blenda polimérica Poli (ɛ-caprolactona) / Amido/ Proteína Isolada de Soja (PCL/A/PIS), considerando solos e materiais plásticos distintos, como também a presença de genes notadamente associados a degradação biológica. Para tanto, partindo de amostras de DNA obtidas do solo ao longo do processo de biodegradação, foram utilizadas técnicas de PCR e PCR-DGGE (Reação de Polimerização em Cadeia - Eletroforese em Gel com Gradiente Desnaturante). Observou-se que: Bacteroidetes estão presentes em todos os momentos avaliados do processo de biodegradação da Blenda e do PCL; o solo Arenoso, onde a biodegradação e mais efetiva, apresenta comunidades com perfis bem delimitados, que se diferenciam na degradação da Blenda e do PCL; a dinâmica no solo Argiloso não exibe um padrão claro de influencia dos plásticos sobre a comunidade, apontando, porem para uma convergência de similaridade das comunidades sobre blenda e PCL no momento de maior atividade degradativa. Chitinophagaceae e uma família presente na biodegradação, sendo Chitinophaga pinensis uma das espécies presentes; genes exclusivos a esta espécie e outras da mesma família que codificam lipases e proteases, associados a degradação de polímeros pela literatura cientifica, estão presentes nas amostras de solo avaliadas, sendo possíveis atores na biodegradação dos plásticos. Bacteroidetes aparenta ser um filo importante em processos naturais de biodegradação de polímeros em solos, e explorar o potencial deste grupo e da família Chitinophagaceae pode oferecer subsídios para a construção de plásticos mais eficientes em sua biodegradação. / The human productive activity has brought significant damage to the environment, particularly by the disposal of non-degradable waste (or poorly degradable) by natural processes. Synthetic polymers are among the main materials discarded, remaining inert for centuries, causing damage to the natural wildlife or interfering with ecological processes. Given this context, the potential use of biodegradable plastics is an alternative, both for agriculture and for the replacement of disposable packaging. For the construction and optimization of biodegradable materials it is necessary to understand the action of natural microbial communities in the process. Microorganisms have predominant and diversified roles in the biodegradation process, with complex ecological relationships in their responses, either by their phylogenetic relationships or the enzymes used during the process. In this work, we sought to understand the dynamics of Bacteroidetes phylum in the biodegradation process of polymer blend poly (ɛ-caprolactone) / starch / Soy Protein Isolate (PCL/ A/ SPI), considering different soils and plastics, and also the presence of genes associated with biological degradation. Therefore, starting from DNA samples taken from the soil during the biodegradation process, PCR techniques and PCR-DGGE (Polymerization Chain Reaction - Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) were used. It was observed that: the Phylum Bacteroidetes is present in all periods evaluated of the biodegradation process of Blend, PCL and even soils without the addition of plastics; the sandy soil, where the biodegradation is more effective, presents communities with well defined profiles that differ in the degradation of blends and PCL; the dynamics in clay soil does not show a clear pattern of plastics influence over the community, pointing to a convergence of communities similarity in blends and PCL over greater degradation activity. Chitinophagaceae is a family present in biodegradation, Chitinophaga pinensis being one of the species present; genes unique to this species and others of the same family encoding lipases and proteases, associated with the degradation of polymers reported in the scientific literature, are present in the evaluated soil samples, potentially acting on plastics biodegradation. Bacteroidetes appears to be an important phylum in natural processes of polymer biodegradation in soils, and to explore the potential of this taxon and of Chitinophagaceae family can shed light on the construction of more efficient biodegradable plastics.

College student and Amazon's Mechanical TURK (MTURK) samples are regularly utilized in trauma research. Recent literature, however, has criticized these samples for not being generalizable to the general U.S. population. Measurement invariance (MI) using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), is rarely utilized in trauma research, even though the analysis can determine whether groups are invariant across factor structure, factor loadings, item intercepts, and residual error variances on a given measure of PTSD symptom severity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether college student (n = 255) and MTURK (n = 316) samples are invariant on the PCL-5. Model fit indices indicated the 7-factor Hybrid model was the best fitting model, but the 6-factor anhedonia model was the most parsimonious model. Both models demonstrated equivalence in factor structures (configural invariance), factor loadings (metric invariance), intercepts (scalar invariance), and residuals (strict invariance), indicating MTURK and college student samples are similar in regards to PTSD symptom severity. These findings provide evidence that these groups can be combined in future studies to increase sample size for trauma research. Only the Anhedonia factor exhibited mean differences between groups, which may be related to true differences between college students and MTURK survey-takers. Thus, there is further evidence that the findings from trauma studies using these populations are generalizable to each other.

<p>The healing process of human bone can be aided by the presence of differentmaterials. A material that is transformed into bone when in contact with bone iscalled a boneconductive material. By transforming into bone the material reduces thetime that it takes to heal a fracture. This report is a study of existing boneconductivematerials on the market to see if there is a material available that would be suitable totest on larger fractures. The wanted application is to be able to heal fractures up to50 mm which is a fracture too big for the body to heal on its own.The healing process of human bone can be aided by the presence of differentmaterials. A material that is transformed into bone when in contact with bone iscalled a boneconductive material. By transforming into bone the material reduces thetime that it takes to heal a fracture. This report is a study of existing boneconductivematerials on the market to see if there is a material available that would be suitable totest on larger fractures. The wanted application is to be able to heal fractures up to50 mm which is a fracture too big for the body to heal on its own.</p>

The healing process of human bone can be aided by the presence of differentmaterials. A material that is transformed into bone when in contact with bone iscalled a boneconductive material. By transforming into bone the material reduces thetime that it takes to heal a fracture. This report is a study of existing boneconductivematerials on the market to see if there is a material available that would be suitable totest on larger fractures. The wanted application is to be able to heal fractures up to50 mm which is a fracture too big for the body to heal on its own.The healing process of human bone can be aided by the presence of differentmaterials. A material that is transformed into bone when in contact with bone iscalled a boneconductive material. By transforming into bone the material reduces thetime that it takes to heal a fracture. This report is a study of existing boneconductivematerials on the market to see if there is a material available that would be suitable totest on larger fractures. The wanted application is to be able to heal fractures up to50 mm which is a fracture too big for the body to heal on its own.

This paper examined the inter-rater reliability of psychological assessments in practical field with 42 inmates’ PCL-R scores. As results, this study showed similar ICC and SEM values to those from PCL-manual. Concerning PCL-R structure, factor 2 showed higher ICC value than factor 1, and facet 4 showed higher ICC value than facet 1, 2, or 3. Especially, facet 2 showed low ICC value. Those are consistent with previous studies. However, ICC yielded by factor 2 only and both factor 1 and 2 showed similar ICC values. Considering theoretical and clinical aspects, it was recommendable to use PCL-R total score as risk assessment, though interpreting facet 2 requires cautions. Concerning to rater’s characteristics, the most influential factor to keep the PCL-R reliability was conducting it on regular basis, rather than licensed status. It was difficult to examine whether or not singed-off contribute to maintain sufficient reliability due to small sample size. In regression model, all rater related variables were not significantly correlated to PCL-R score change between two assessment occasions. PCL-R scores at Time 1 was moderately and negatively correlated to PCL-R score change. This indicated natural regression toward the mean. It is desirable to conduct additional study after obtaining more sample and rater related information, such as clinical experience. Additionally, it requires a consideration to apply findings in this study to female psychopathic subjects. As a policy implication, it is recommendable for personnel division to have psychologists to remain in their psychological work.

Tissue engineering merges the disciplines of study like cell biology, materials science, engineering and surgery to enable growth of new living tissues on scaffolding constructed from implanted polymeric materials. One of the most important aspects of tissue engineering related to material science is design of the polymer scaffolds. The polymer scaffolds needs to have some specific mechanical strength over certain period of time. In this work bioresorbable aliphatic polymers (PCL and PLLA) were blended using extrusion and solution methods. These blends were then extruded and electrospun into fibers. The fibers were then subjected to FDA standard in vitro immersion degradation tests where its mechanical strength, water absorption, weight loss were observed during the eight weeks. The results indicate that the mechanical strength and rate of degradation can be tailored by changing the ratio of PCL and PLLA in the blend. Processing influences these parameters, with the loss of mechanical strength and rate of degradation being higher in electrospun fibers compared to those extruded. A second effort in this thesis addressed the potential separation of the scaffold from the tissue (loss of apposition) due to the differences in their low strain responses. This hypothesis that using knit with low tension will have better compliance was tested and confirmed.