Opin vísindi

 

Nýlega bætt við

Verk
Anxiety and Distress Tolerance as Mediators between Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Gambling Severity in Veterans
(2026-03) Dighton, Glen; Whiteford, Seb; Quigley, Martyn; Dymond, Simon; Department of Psychology
Experiences of gambling-related harm are significant concerns among military veterans, particularly those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD). CPTSD, as outlined in the ICD-11, includes disturbances in self-organisation (DSO), encompassing affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal difficulties. While anxiety and distress tolerance (DT) have been implicated in PTSD-related maladaptive behaviours, their roles in the relationship between CPTSD and gambling risk severity remain unclear. This study examines whether anxiety and DT mediate the association between CPTSD symptom clusters (PTSD and DSO) and gambling severity in UK Armed Forces veterans. A cross-sectional study was conducted with UK ex-service personnel (n = 346) who completed the International Trauma Questionnaire for CPTSD, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale, the Distress Tolerance Scale, and the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Mediation analyses were conducted using bootstrapped regression models. Anxiety was found to be a significant indirect pathway between CPTSD symptoms and gambling risk severity, with a stronger indirect effect observed for DSO symptoms than PTSD-specific symptoms. In contrast, DT did not show a significant indirect pathway, indicating that deficits in DT may not be central to gambling behaviours in veterans with CPTSD. These findings highlight the critical role of anxiety in gambling-related harm among veterans with symptoms of CPTSD, suggesting that interventions targeting anxiety regulation may be beneficial than those targeting distress tolerance in reducing gambling risk severity. Future research should explore additional potential pathways, such as impulsivity and trauma-related dissociation to further clarify associations between CPTSD and gambling severity.
Verk
A Dual-Functional Frequency-Selective Polarization Converting Metasurface With Reduced Backward-Scattering Characteristics
(2026) Nasir, Muhammad; Koziel, Slawomir; Pietrenko-Dabrowska, Anna; Department of Engineering
A novel dual-functional frequency-selective metasurface (MS) with low backscattering is proposed by integrating a reflective cross-polarization (LRCP) converter with a bandpass frequency-selective surface (BP-FSS). The proposed MS comprises three layers, with a cross-dipole FSS in the middle layer that provides high-efficiency bandpass transmission. The thickness, inter-gap, and interlayer spacing of the diagonally oriented metallic strip gratings (MSGs), printed on the top and bottom layers, are meticulously optimized to achieve efficient LRCP conversion while maintaining high transmittance transparency for the out-of-band frequencies. The proposed MS simultaneously exhibits two independent functionalities: co-polarized bandpass transmission from 3.74 to 5.12 GHz with a simulated insertion loss of above -1 dB, and LRCP conversion from 5.72 to 7.33 GHz with a polarization conversion ratio (PCR) exceeding 0.99. The design concept is validated using two equivalent circuit models (ECMs) corresponding to the BP-FSS and the cascaded MS configuration, as well as through measurements of the fabricated prototype comprising 16× 16 unit-cell arrays arranged in a chessboard configuration. Both the ECM predictions and measurements show good alignment with the full-wave simulation findings. In addition, the measurement results showcase significant radar cross-section (RCS) reduction across the frequency range from 5.94 - 7.21 GHz. Unlike conventional LRCP-MSs, the proposed work eliminates the need for a complete ground plane, and hence, its dual functionality makes it a promising candidate for Radome and communication platforms.
Verk
“Outcomes of treatment for people with type 2 diabetes within two nurse-led clinics in primary care in Iceland”
(2025) Birgisdóttir, Matthildur; Skúladóttir, Hafdís; Sigurðardóttir, Árún Kristín; Faculty of Nursing
As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases in Iceland, more nurse-led diabetes clinics have been established in primary health. This study aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes at two rural nurse-led diabetes clinics and compare these outcomes with guidelines. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in primary care settings in Northern Iceland using secondary data from medical recording systems. The sample (n = 88) included patients with two glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements taken at least 6 months apart (Time 1 and 2). Between Time 1 and 2, HbA1c levels (p = 0.049), body mass index (p = 0.013), and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.040) decreased. At time 2, approximately 70% of patients reached clinical goals for HbA1c levels, 33% for body mass index, 56% for systolic blood pressure, and 49% for diastolic blood pressure. This finding is consistent with those of other European studies in diabetes care. Assessing healthcare outcomes is beneficial for small rural clinics, where work is often conducted in isolation. This programme evaluation study conducted in two nurse-led clinics in Iceland demonstrated improved diabetes outcomes with care aligned with clinical guidelines and provided a baseline for measuring future outcomes.
Verk
Public Perceptions of Gambling in the UK Armed Forces : Understanding Stigma Via a Vignette Experiment
(2026-03) Smith, Jessica; Dymond, Simon; Torrance, Jamie; Department of Psychology
Gambling-related harm among armed forces (AF) personnel is a growing concern, yet public perceptions remain underexplored. Anticipated public stigma (the fear of how others perceive you) of gambling among the AF is a potential barrier to help-seeking. Understanding how the public perceives gambling in the AF is essential for shaping stigma-reduction strategies. A randomised, online 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment was conducted. A representative sample of the United Kingdom public (N = 396) was recruited through Prolific and randomly assigned to view a vignette featuring either an AF member or non-AF civilian who was described as engaging in either harmful or non-harmful gambling. Following exposure to their assigned vignette, participants completed measures assessing stigma and empathy towards the depicted individual. Participants perceived individuals from the AF as significantly more dangerous (p =.002) compared to non-AF civilians. When the vignette depicted gambling-related harm, as opposed to recreational gambling, participants reported significantly higher stigma across seven of the ten stigma measures (all p <.001). This study highlights how public stigma towards gambling harm is strong and can be shaped by military status, with AF personnel facing increased perceptions of dangerousness. Findings underscore the need for public stigma-reduction strategies that address both gambling-related and military-specific misconceptions.
Verk
Applying the guided self-determination counselling method in primary healthcare among people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes : A qualitative study
(2025-11) Kolltveit, Beate Christin Hope; Arnardóttir, Elín; Oftedal, Bjørg Frøysland; Sigurðardóttir, Árún Kristín; Faculty of Nursing
Aim: To explore how nurses experienced using the Guided Self-Determination (GSD) counselling method in primary healthcare for the follow-up of patients at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Design: This study had a qualitative design. Methods: We used individual interviews with nurses in Norway (n = 5) and Iceland (n = 6) to collect data. The nurses had prior to this qualitative study participated in a randomised controlled trial, by applying the GSD counselling method in primary healthcare. The data was analysed by using qualitative content analysis. Results: The findings in this study resulted in the identification of three categories: (1) Promoting change in patient awareness and motivation, (2) Facilitation of health behaviour change, and (3) Challenges in applying the GSD method in patient consultations. The counselling method assisted the nurses to approach patients in a different way and to ask questions that stimulated personal reflection and increased the patients´ health awareness. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient representatives contributed in discussing the relevance of the study objectives and justification for undertaking the research, and in the development of adequate written patient information for the study.

Flokkar í Opnum vísindum

Veldu flokk til að skoða.

Niðurstöður 1 - 9 af 9