Multifamily group treatment for veterans with traumatic brain injury.

A common clinical problem encountered by clinicians treating veterans who incurred traumatic brain injury (TBI) while serving in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) is lack of knowledge about TBI on the part of the veterans' family members. Insufficient information can exacerbate marital or family conflict and lead to psychological distress and social isolation for the veteran and family, and suboptimal illness management for the veteran. To address this problem, we adapted Multifamily Group Treatment (MFGT), an evidence-based practice for treatment of serious mental illness (SMI), for treatment of OEF/OIF veterans with TBI and their families. We have implemented the adapted treatment (MFG-TBI) in four groups of veterans and families (N = 20 veterans and 20 family members) across two sites: the Durham VA Medical Center (VAMC) in North Carolina and the JJ Peters VAMC in the Bronx, New York. Adaptations focused on contents and format of the educational components, specification of a protocol for conjugal couples, and the addition of an ecomap to identify support systems during the joining (i.e. assessment) phase, a shorter (9 months) intervention duration, and a more active clinician role including use of motivational enhancement, intersession support, and coordination with other service providers. Biweekly group sessions were supervised and rated for adherence. We illustrate how MFG-TBI both educates and builds problem-solving skills with clinical examples. Suggestions for effective use of problem-solving skills with this population are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reliability Test of the 170GHz Gyrotron for ITER

Using the ITER relevant 170 GHz gyrotron, repetitive operation with long pulse and high power is conducted. The first consecutive days repetitive operation with ITER equivalent condition (800 kW/600 s with 20 min interval) is successfully performed in JAEA gyrotron test stand in order to obtain a basic data of the reliability of the current gyrotron system. Seventy-two shots out of 88 shots were successfully continued until the end of the pulse (600 s). The successful rate was 82%. The results demonstrate the feasibility of gyrotron operating at a high reliability for high power long pulse operation for ITER like conditions.     

The ITER EC H&CD upper launcher: Structural design

Four ITER EC H&CD (Electron Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive) Upper Launchers will be installed in the ITER Tokamak to counteract plasma instabilities by injection of up to 20 MW of millimeter-wave power at 170 GHz. Each Launcher features a structural system which is equipped with eight beam lines in a Front-Steering arrangement. The Launcher development has reached the status of a preliminary design, since the corresponding review meeting was held in November 2009 at the ITER site in Cadarache. All design work is performed by several EU associations being contracted by Fusion for Energy (F4E). The structural design of the Upper Launcher consists of three sub-components: First of all the Blanket Shield Module (BSM), which fills the gap between the regular blankets. The BSM dissipates about 80% of the nuclear heating and envelopes the front mirrors of the mm-wave system. Further the Launcher Mainframe, which provides a rigid structure for precise and secure integration of the mm-wave system to guarantee reliable operation under all potential scenarios. Finally the internals, such as dedicated support structures for the mm-wave system, shielding elements and components for gas and coolant supply. The most challenging design aspects are proper dissipation of nuclear heating in zones of high heat flux, the mechanical integrity during plasma disruptions, the integration of sufficient shielding material and the precise alignment of the mm-wave system under tight space conditions. Furthermore the definition of efficient manufacturing routes with respect to tolerance compliance requires substantial investigation and, though the Launcher is designed for ITER lifetime, potential repair by adequate remote handling procedures must be considered. This paper presents the recent status of the preliminary structural design and outlines future design approaches with the main focus on manufacturing methods, remote handling capability of the sub-components and optimum integration of the internals to bring the EC Launcher towards the final design.     

ECRH for JET: A feasibility study

For JET to fulfil its mission in preparing ITER operation, the installation of an electron cyclotron resonance heating system on JET would be desirable. The study described in this paper has investigated the feasibility of installing such a system on JET. The principal goals of such a system are: current drive over a range of radii for NTM stabilization, sawtooth control and current profile tailoring and central electron heating to equilibrate electron and ion temperatures in high performance discharges. The study concluded that a 12 gyrotron, 10 MW, system at the ITER frequency (170 GHz) adapted for fields of 2.7–3.3 T would be appropriate for the operation planned in JET. An antenna allowing toroidal and poloidal steering over a wide range is being designed, using the ITER upper launcher steering mechanism. The use of ITER diamond windows and transmission line technology is suggested while power supply solutions partially reusing existing JET power supplies are proposed. Detailed planning shows that such a system can be operational in about 5 years from the time that the decision to proceed is taken. The cost and required manpower associated with implementing such a system on JET has also been estimated.     

The relationship between moisture content and equilibrium relative humidity of five types of wheat flour

There was little difference at 5, 15 and 25°C between the moisture content-equilibrium relative humidity relationships of three types of bread flour and a biscuit flour made from wheat. A flour made from wheat a about 18% moisture content heated to 70°C for about 15 min, had a higher equilibrium relative humidity than the other types.     

The effect of temperature on ensilage

An experiment was carried out to study the chemical and bacteriological changes during the ensilage of fresh and partially wilted grass at two different temperature levels. In grass of low dry-matter content (15.2%) the effect of increasing the temperature to 42° resulted in a clostridial type fermentation, whereas in similar material kept at 20° a lactic acid fermentation occurred. Differences between the two wilted silages were less marked, although the wilted material at low temperature contained more lactic acid than the high-temperature silage. Results of digestibility trials with sheep did not show any marked variation between treatments, although the digestible crude protein contents were highest in the wet silages. The importance of maintaining low temperatures and of wilting crops prior to ensiling are discussed.     

A comparison of classification algorithms for the identification of smoke plumes from satellite images

Obtaining accurate measures of exposure to forest fire smoke is important for the assessment of health risk. Estimating exposure from air quality monitors is challenging because of the sparseness of the monitoring networks in remote areas. However, satellite imagery offers a novel and data-rich tool to provide visual information on smoke plumes. We will discuss statistical techniques for obtaining estimates of forest fire smoke plumes using classification algorithms on data from satellite imagery in order to develop automated processes for identifying exposure. The aim is to identify whether such methods may offer a high-resolution approach that provides a reliable estimate of smoke and a more thorough caption of the spatial distribution of smoke from fires than is currently available.     

Chemical changes and losses during the ensilage of wilted grass

Two experiments were carried out; in the first, wilted Italian ryegrass at two different dry matter (DM) levels (34% and 47%) was ensiled; in the second, fresh grass (15.9% DM) and similar herbage wilted to 30.3% DM were ensiled. Total edible DM losses from the wilted silages were low and ranged from 6.7 to 10.4%. Changes in individual sugars and organic acids were followed. The residual amounts of sugars in the wilted silages were directly related to the degree of wilting. All silages were well preserved, but little fermentation had occurred in the material wilted to 47 % DM. From a knowledge of the sugars lost and amounts of mannitol and ethanol formed it has been possible to examine quantitatively the main chemical changes during the ensilage of the wilted materials. The results confirm the efficiency with which wilted grass is anaerobically conserved.     

Estimation of genetic parameters for measures of calf survival in a population of Holstein heifer calves from a heifer-raising facility in New York State

The objectives of this study were to estimate the genetic parameters of survival to weaning and survival to exit for a population of Holstein calves from New York State, as well as to associate the estimated breeding values determined in the current study with traits from ongoing genetic evaluations used in Canada and the United States. Data were recorded for 7,372 heifer calves at a commercial rearing facility in New York State from arrival at 1 to 7 d of age for the duration of stay at the facility (on average, heifers departed the facility 1 mo before calving). Performance and disease up to weaning and mortality before and after weaning were recorded. Analyzed data were limited to daughters of sires with at least 10 calves originating from farms that had sent a minimum of 5 calves to be raised at the facility. As such, calves from 264 sires and 36 herds were studied using 2 statistical methods. The first method, calf survival, used a Weibull proportional hazards model, with survival defined as age at culling, death, or censoring. The second method, a 2-trait sire model, included survival from arrival to weaning (SUV1) and survival from weaning to exit (SUV2). Both models included fixed effects of arrival weight, serum total protein, weaning weight, season and year of birth, and calving ease score. Herd and sire were included as random effects. Significant associations among all fixed effects and calf survival were observed. In general, very light or heavy weight at arrival, low total protein, low weaning weight, and difficult birth increased risk of mortality for calves. The heritability of survival from the first method was 0.063. The heritabilities from the linear model were 0.001 for SUV1 and 0.036 for SUV2. The genetic correlation between SUV1 and SUV2 was 0.58. Genetic variance was close to zero for survival of calves to weaning, but was greater for survival after weaning through the growing period. Breeding values were estimated for SUV1 and SUV2 and correlated with routinely evaluated traits from Canadian and US genetic evaluations. Significant associations between genetic evaluations for survival traits and routinely evaluated traits in Canada and the United States were found, in particular with conformation body traits, somatic cell score, fertility, and longevity.     

A model for the electrical double layer combining integral equation techniques with quantum density functional theory

We have complemented the singlet reference interaction site model for the electric double layer by quantum chemical calculations for the interaction of ions and solvents with an electrode. Specific calculations have been performed for an aqueous solution of NaCl in contact with a Ag(1 1 1) electrode. The particle profiles near the electrode show the specific adsorption of Cl⁻ ions, but not of Na⁺, and are at least in qualitative agreement with those obtained by molecular dynamics. Including the electronic response of the silver surface into the model results in reasonable capacity–charge characteristics.