Coping With Chronic Lower Back Pain: Designing and Testing the Online Tool ONESELF

A website was designed in order to help patients with chronic lower back pain (cLBP) to cope with their condition, relying on the concept of health literacy. A sample of 748 chronic or potentially chronic LBP patients were asked to regularly visit the site for a period of 12 months. The intervention was evaluated quantitatively (both preuse and postuse surveys, logfiles) and qualitatively. Users appear to have taken less painkillers than before in the period they accessed the site. Most users reported that the site contributed to increasing their knowledge, and helped them managing their back pain. Communication with doctors, family, and colleagues improved. Qualitative evaluation showed several positive effects including self‐comprehension, improvement of argumentative abilities, orientation, and self‐confidence.     

A thin-layer reference material for hydrogen analysis

In many areas of material sciences, hydrogen analysis is of particular importance. For example, hydrogen is most abundant as impurity in thin film materials - depending on the deposition process - and has great influence on the chemical, physical and electrical properties of many materials. Existing bulk reference materials (RMs) are not suited for surface sensitive analytical methods like elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) or nuclear reaction analysis (NRA). To overcome this serious lack of (certified) thin-layer reference materials for the determination of hydrogen in the near-surface region (1-2 μm depth), we produced stable, homogeneous amorphous silicon layers on Si-wafers (aSi:H-Si) by means of chemical vapour deposition (CVD), while about 10% of hydrogen was incorporated in the Si-layer. Homogeneity and stability were proved by NRA whereas traceability of reference values has been assured by an international interlaboratory comparison.     

Some remarks on the PISO and SIMPLE algorithms for steady turbulent flow problems

Properties of the PISO and SIMPLE algorithms of solution of momentum equations are examined by comparison of the computational effort required for reaching the same convergence criterion in two test problems. In the present paper swirling and non-swirling flows are considered in axisymmetric geometry. In the computations both, interative and time marching versions of these methods are considered. Optimal values of numerical parameters, on which effectivity of both algorithms depends for various differential grids, were found and the results for swirling flow problem were verified on the basis of available experimental data.     

The homeless assessment program: A service-training model for providing disability evaluations for homeless, mentally ill individuals.

Many of the nation's homeless people suffer from unrecognized mental illnesses and do not have access to the kind of disability benefits they would be entitled to when properly assessed. The current system of disability evaluations for Social Security income claims is frequently inadequate and leaves these individuals without any source of income, health insurance, and mental health treatment. This article introduces a model of providing psychological assessments for homeless, mentally ill individuals by supervised student examiners, a model that could be replicated by other psychologists and training institutions. The authors argue that there may be a large number of homeless adults who suffer from disabling mental conditions but who are not properly diagnosed and, therefore, do not qualify for benefits. The authors propose that the model presented can help to fill a gap in services and may serve as a model of socially relevant clinical training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A rigorous small area modelling-study for the helicobacter pylori epidemiology

This paper presents an investigation into spatial risk differences over small distances for the Helicobacter pylori infection in the city of Leipzig, Germany and two rural districts. A model, using Bayesian inference, was developed that adjusts the risk for individual-specific factors, and for spatial or individual over-dispersion, respectively. Additionally, the model takes into account conditional spatial autocorrelation. We found a significant positive association to the H. pylori infection risk for: “more than three children live in the household” (OR = 2.4, p = 0.001), “more persons live per sq.m than average” (OR = 1.4, p = 0.03), “home situated at main road” (OR = 1.4, p = 0.04) and “using well water” (OR = 2.3, p = 0.05). A protective effect was identified for “travelled to low prevalence region” (OR = 0.4, p < 0.0001) and “born in Germany” (OR = 0.2, p < 0.0001). Three administrative areas with significantly increased spatial risk were identified: one in the rural district and two in the city of Leipzig. The model explained 24.9% of the total deviance. Contrary to expectations, the largest part of deviance of the data was not explained by the identified significant risk factors, but by individual-specific heterogeneities. We conclude that further - so far not discussed - factors influence the risk and the spatial variation of the H.pylori infection. Furthermore, from the results we speculate about a possible impact of long-time air pollution and surface water.     

Reconfigurable counter spindle module with integrated device for fast spindle alignment

An upcoming exchange of a machine tool spindle involves a downtime of several days for a cutting machine. This paper presents an innovative counter spindle module which can be replaced in significantly less time. The counter spindle module is developed in a methodical design process and is based on an effective high-precision alignment system, whose functionality and features are described in detail. Furthermore, an appropriate measuring process to identify the present deviation of a main or counter spindle is introduced. Finally, the operational capability and efficiency of the developed spindle alignment system is validated on the basis of the introduced measuring process.