Search

Background Although described in product monographs, the maximum contrast media (CM) dose at computed tomography (CT) varies among institutions. Purpose To investigate whether an upper limit of 40 g of iodine in women and 50 g in men is sufficient or if there is a body weight (BW) dependence of mean hepatic enhancement (MHE) beyond those thresholds. Material and Methods At our institution, CM injection duration is fixed to 30 s and dosed 600 mg iodine/kg up to 40 g in women and 50 g in men. Pre- and post-contrast hepatic attenuation values (HU) were retrospectively obtained in 200 women and 200 men with glomerular filtration rate >45 mL/min undergoing 18-flurodeoxyglucose PET-CT (18F-FDG PET-CT) of which half weighed below and half above those dose thresholds using iodixanol 320 mg iodine/mL or iomeprol 400 mg iodine/mL. The correlation between BW and MHE was assessed by simple linear regression. Results Weight range was 41–120 kg in women and 47–137 kg in men. There was no significant relationship between MHE and BW in women receiving Conclusion Adjusting CM to BW diminishes the dependence of MHE on BW. There was no apparent upper limit for the relationship between BW and MHE in heavier patients at CM-enhanced CT.

The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of specific symptoms of depression in athletes and to test differences in the likelihood of athletes exhibiting these symptoms across age, sex, type of team sport, and level of competition. A sample of Icelandic male and female team sport athletes (N = 894, 18–42 years) was included in the study. Of the athletes exhibiting clinically significant depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, 37.5% did not exhibit core symptoms of depression. Compared with males, females were significantly more likely to exhibit depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness/guilt, and problems with sleep, fatigue, appetite, and concentration. Within males, differences were mostly related to neurovegetative aspects of depression (sleep and appetite), whereas in females, differences were related to cognitive/emotional aspects (e.g., depressed mood, guilt/worthlessness). The findings underline the importance of exploring specific symptoms of depression to provide a richer understanding of depressive symptomology in athletes.

Bivariate associations of problem gambling with participation in particular game types often decrease when adjusting for demographics or consumption behavior (e.g., number of game types played). A summary of 14 peer-reviewed studies showed inconsistencies as well as conceptual and methodological challenges. The aim of this study was to expand previous research by a combination of (1) sophisticated feature-engineering, which disaggregates gambling intensity into facets within and beyond a game type of interest, and (2) the application of mediation models. Data comprised last year gamblers of three merged cross sectional Icelandic gambling surveys of 2007, 2011, and 2017 (N = 4422). For each of 15 game types (12-month time frame), a parallel multiple mediation model was applied to disaggregate bivariate associations of last year game type participation and problem gambling (Problem Gambling Severity Index) by six mediating mechanisms: (1) demographic problem gambling propensity, (2) number of game types played, (3) gambling frequency within the type, (4) maximum gambling frequency across all types beyond, (5) usual spending within the type, (6) maximum usual spending across all types beyond. Games showed two distinct profiles via which mediator they mostly impacted problem gambling: Electronic gaming machines offline, scratch cards offline, live betting online, and poker offline as well as online impacted problem gambling mostly via gambling frequency within, whereas all other types mostly impacted via the number of game types played. The applied mediation models answer the question by which mechanism game types impact problem gambling in a more exhaustive way than previous research.

Background Hybrid SPECT/CT systems allow the shortening of lead time for investigation of cancer patients, since a complementary CT for radiological characterization of focally increased isotope uptake of unclear origin in bone scintigraphy can be performed simultaneously. The use of low-dose CT (sub-mSv CT) reduces radiation dose compared to standard-dose CT and facilitates the application of complementary CT. Purpose To test the feasibility of sub-mSv CT for the characterization of non-specific findings in the bone scintigraphy of oncological patients. Material and Methods Nineteen oncological patients with a total of 50 findings of unclear origin on bone scintigraphy which required further correlation with morphologic data were included in the study. Each patient underwent two CT scan series consecutively: one low-dose CT and one standard-dose CT. The CT studies were randomized and each finding was rated by four blinded experienced radiologists. A shift in ratings between standard-dose and low-dose images were assessed using the Stuart–Maxwell chi-squared test. Inter-observer agreement and intra-observer agreement was assessed using Light’s kappa and Cohen’s kappa, respectively. Results The mean effective dose of low-dose CT scans was 0.8 mSv compared to 4.2 mSv for the standard-dose CT scans. No statistically significant shift in ratings was observed ( P = 0.62). There was no statistically significant difference in the inter-observer agreements: the values for the standard-dose and low-dose groups were 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–0.79) and 0.60 (95% CI 0.47–0.72), respectively. Conclusion These results indicate that sub-mSv CT for characterization of non-specific findings in bone scintigraphy of oncological patients is feasible.

The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of specific symptoms of depression in athletes, and to test differences in the likelihood of exhibiting these symptoms across age, sex, type of team sport, and level of competition. A sample of Icelandic male and female team sport athletes (N=894, 18-42 years) were included in the study. Of the athletes exhibiting clinically significant depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 37.5% did not exhibit core symptoms of depression. Compared to males, females were significantly more likely to exhibit depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness/guilt, problems with sleep, fatigue, appetite, and concentration. Within males, differences were mostly related to neurovegetative aspects of depression (sleep and appetite), whereas in females, differences were related to cognitive/emotional aspects (e.g. depressed mood, guilt/worthlessness). The findings underline the importance of exploring specific symptoms of depression to provide a richer understanding of depressive symptomology in athletes.

Polymer foams are often used in safety applications, for example in pedestrian impact protection where a polymer foam bumper can increase pedestrian safety in the event of an accident. Application of this type of material necessitates a thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior, and how to represent the material for use in modern design tools like finite element modeling. The work in the thesis is twofold and covers characterization of the mechanical properties and micromechanical modeling of polymer foams. First, we aim to better understand how polymer foams, and expanded polypropylene (EPP) in particular, respond to different loading scenarios and environmental conditions. Second, a micromechanical model has been developed to better understand the mechanical response of foam structures subjected to complex loading conditions.

BackgroundX-ray tube voltage (kVp) reduction increases intravenous contrast medium (CM) attenuation at computed tomography (CT), but tube output limits its use in large patients.PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility and image quality of reducing CM dose by low kVp and using dual X-ray source at liver CT.Material and MethodsPatients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 65 years with eGFR > 45 mL/min scanned using a standard abdominal protocol at 120 kVp after receiving 0.5 gI/kg.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in CNR, liver noise, or muscle noise at reduced CM protocols compared to the standard protocol: CNR was 4.6 (95% CI = 4.2–5.0) vs. 5.0 (95% CI = 4.5–5.5), liver noise was 11.1 (95% CI = 10.7–11.6) vs. 11.0 (95% CI = 10.5–11.6), muscle noise was 11.7 (95% CI = 11.2–12.1) vs. 10.8 (95% CI = 10.1–11.4). The mean SSDE was 70% higher with the reduced CM protocol.ConclusionCM dosage can be reduced by 40–50% with maintained measured noise and CNR in patients with BMIs of 15–36 kg/m2by lowering the tube voltage and dual-source CT scanning of the liver.

Paediatric consultations require safe and unambiguous communication. For children and adolescents of foreign ethnic and language backgrounds, professional interpretation may be crucial to avoid misunderstandings and malpractice. Knowledge about language barriers in paediatric consultations in the Danish healthcare is sparse.The study was based on questionnaires completed by medical professionals at two paediatric emergency units in Copenhagen from March through June 2018. Questionnaire A, completed by doctors, addressed all patients aged 0-18 years regardless of the parents' first language and, if foreign, the presence of language barriers, whether clinical management was affected and use of professional interpretation. All doctors and nurses were asked to complete questionnaire B addressing their knowledge, experiences and practices with language barriers in their clinical work.Language barriers were present in 37% of 136 non-native-Danish consultations. In 44% of these, clinical management was affected. Professional interpretation was not used in any consultations. Almost half of the medical professionals reported insufficient communication opportunities with non-native-Danish-speaking patients (48%).Language barriers frequently affected communication and clinical decision-making in the two Danish paediatric emergency units studied. Even so, professional interpretation was not used. Further studies are needed to explore whether language is a barrier to equal health.none.not relevant.

Polymer foams are often used for impact mitigation and protection due to low weight and excellent energy absorbing capability. Depending on the application, different loading rates and environmental conditions can be expected, including various operating temperatures. In this paper, experimental results from mechanical testing of expanded polypropylene (EPP) are presented, focusing on temperature and rate dependence. The compressive and tensile responses of two EPP foams of similar nominal density (30 kg/m3) but different morphology are compared. Both foams were tested in compression at low to intermediate strain rates (10 3 to 100s 1) to determine the strain rate dependence. The temperature dependence of one foam type was quantified in both compression and tension for temperatures between 30°C and 60°C in order to highlight the importance of operating temperature. It was found that both strain rate and temperature have a definitive effect on the mechanical properties. The morphology of the two EPP foams also seems to affect the response. The present work has been carried out with financial support from Centre of Advanced Structural Analysis (CASA), Centre for Research-based Innovation, at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Research Council of Norway through project no. 237885 (CASA).

INTRODUCTION: Paediatric consultations require safe and unambiguous communication. For children and adolescents of foreign ethnic and language backgrounds, professional interpretation may be crucial to avoid misunderstandings and malpractice. Knowledge about language barriers in paediatric consultations in the Danish healthcare is sparse.METHODS: The study was based on questionnaires completed by medical professionals at two paediatric emergency units in Copenhagen from March through June 2018. Questionnaire A, completed by doctors, addressed all patients aged 0-18 years regardless of the parents' first language and, if foreign, the presence of language barriers, whether clinical management was affected and use of professional interpretation. All doctors and nurses were asked to complete questionnaire B addressing their knowledge, experiences and practices with language barriers in their clinical work.RESULTS: Language barriers were present in 37% of 136 non-native-Danish consultations. In 44% of these, clinical management was affected. Professional interpretation was not used in any consultations. Almost half of the medical professionals reported insufficient communication opportunities with non-native-Danish-speaking patients (48%).CONCLUSIONS: Language barriers frequently affected communication and clinical decision-making in the two Danish paediatric emergency units studied. Even so, professional interpretation was not used. Further studies are needed to explore whether language is a barrier to equal health.FUNDING: none.TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Purpose: To evaluate the potential of low tube voltage dual source (DS) single energy (SE) and dual energy (DE) computed tomography (CT) to reduce contrast media (CM) dose in adult abdominal examinations of various sizes while maintaining soft tissue and iodine contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Methods: Four abdominal phantoms simulating a body mass index of 16 to 35 kg/m2 with four inserted syringes of 0, 2, 4, and 8 mgI/ml CM were scanned using a 64-slice DS-CT scanner. Six imaging protocols were used; one single source (SS) reference protocol (120 kV, 180 reference mAs), four low kV SE protocols (70 and 80 kV using both SS and DS), and one DE protocol at 80/140 kV. Potential CM reduction with unchanged CNRs relative to the 120 kV protocol was calculated along with the corresponding increase in radiation dose. Results: The potential contrast media reductions were determined to be approximately 53% for DS 70 kV, 51% for SS 70 kV, 44% for DS 80 kV, 40% for SS 80 kV, and 20% for DE (all differences were significant, P < 0.05). Constant CNR could be achieved by using DS 70 kV for small to medium phantom sizes (16–26 kg/m2) and for all sizes (16–35 kg/m2) when using DS 80 kV and DE. Corresponding radiation doses increased by 60%–107%, 23%–83%, and 6%–12%, respectively. Conclusions: DS single energy CT can be used to reduce CM dose by 44%–53% with maintained CNR in adult abdominal examinations at the cost of an increased radiation dose. DS dual-energy CT allows reduction of CM dose by 20% at similar radiation dose as compared to a standard 120 kV single source.

INTRODUCTION More than a decade ago, Shaffer et al. (2006) reported that gambling-related research was growing at an exponential rate. Since that time, this trend appears to have continued, and much more is now known about this particular form of risky behavior. Nevertheless, there is still a general tendency to not perceive gambling as a potential danger for youth and other vulnerable populations. The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included “gambling disorder” as the only condition in the section “non-substance-related disorders.” Moreover, it was specified that this disorder can indeed occur in adolescence, young adulthood or even late adulthood. Despite this fact, theoretical and applied research on problem gambling especially with regard to adolescence and other risk groups still remains fragmentary. For this reason, we felt it to be important to organize a special research topic on gambling. The primary goals were to highlight the necessity of considering excessive gambling as a potential harmful activity, to summarize the state-of-art of international research on different aspects of the topic and to offer important novel findings relevant for advancing knowledge in the field of gambling. Taken together, the contributions can be classified into four broad categories: (1) youth gambling, (2) risk factors in adulthood, (3) measurement issues, and (4) clinical research. OVERVIEW OF CONTRIBUTING PAPERS In total, 18 papers are presented in this special issue. The first central domain refers to gambling among youth. Even though regulated forms of gambling are generally prohibited to minors, there is a considerable body of research that proves their involvement in gambling activities. A significant minority of adolescents even show gambling-related psychosocial problems (Calado et al., 2017). In addition, several studies have explored risk and protective factors in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood for the development of problem gambling symptoms (Dowling et al., 2017). Four papers in this issue have specifically focused on youth gambling, contributing to the current knowledge by exploring less studied psychosocial constructs or subpopulations and offering guidelines for the conception of interventions. From the broader social perspective, Canale et al. presented the first study with a large- scale nationally representative sample of adolescents to examine the effects of income inequality on adolescent gambling, concluding that wealth distribution may have an impact on youth gambling. Gender issues were raised with the study from Huic et al. focusing on gambling predictors of adolescent girls who are a much less studied population than boys. Furthermore, empirical findings from Nigro et al. with regard to different emotional and cognitive factors confirmed the impact of impulsivity and emotional distress on the development of youth problem gambling. Last but not least, Donati et al. addressed mindware problems (i.e., cognitive distortions) and their influence both on youth gambling as well as the conception of theoretically founded preventive interventions. In addition, four papers shed light on specific risk constellations for the development and manifestation of gambling-related problems in adulthood. Based on representative data from Austria, Buth et al. tackled the question of whether certain risk factors are equally relevant for at-risk, problem, and disordered gamblers. Overall, their findings indicated that the included risk factors indeed differ between these gambling groups, suggesting the need for more tailored prevention and treatment strategies. In contrast to this approach, the study by Hing et al. aimed at identifying risk factors for three forms of problematic online gambling [i.e., electronic gaming machines (EGMs), sports betting, race betting]. While the risk profiles of online sports bettors and race bettors were largely similar, a rather different pattern emerged for online EGM gamblers pointing again to the importance of differential activities in terms of prevention and intervention. Unique findings also stem from Olason et al. who conducted a population- based follow-up study in order to determine the impact of the economic crisis in Iceland on gambling behavior. Interestingly, past year problematic gambling figures did not change after the economic collapse. However, an increased participation in lotto and scratch tickets indicates that gambling forms with low initial stakes and large jackpots may then become more enticing, in particular for individuals suffering financial difficulties. In a very well-balanced opinion paper Zakiniaeiz et al. finally recalled the necessity to study gender differences in gambling patterns, especially with regard to preferred gambling forms, the onset of disordered gambling, co-occurring disorders and disorder progression. Another important area in gambling research relates to measurement issues. In particular, the reliable and valid assessment of problem gambling patterns has received a considerable amount of attention for both adolescents (Edgren et al., 2016) and adults (Pickering et al., 2018). Five papers deal with the psychometric properties of novel measurement tools. Against the background that large-scale prevalence studies consistently represent high prevalence rates of gambling participation among youth (see above), two papers directly focus on this age cohort. While Stinchfield et al. developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brief Adolescent Gambling Screen (BAGS), a three-item screen for adolescent problem gambling, Donati et al. tested the gender invariance of their Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A)applying item response theory. New tools that broadly aim at determining risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling in adults were also introduced. For example, Barbaranelli et al. reported the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Gambling Self-Efficacy Scale (MGSES), an innovative scale to measure self- efficacy as a protective factor for problem gambling. In addition, Cowie et al. provided preliminary evidence for the predictive validity of the Gambling Cognitions Inventory (GCI) as a measure of cognitive distortions, showing its relationship to several gambling outcomes over a 1-month and a 6-month time period, respectively. In a similar vein, Jonsson et al. assessed the capacity of the different dimensions of the Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS) to predict increases in problem gambling risk levels as well as the onset of problem gambling over 1 year. The final main subject of interest relates to clinical examinations of problem gambling. Researchers and treatment providers have sought to identify the underlying issues associated with problem gambling and have tried to identify both the barriers preventing individuals for seeking help and best practices in working with individuals with this disorder. Five informative papers have looked at this issue from multiple perspectives. Challet-Bouju et al. provided a systematic review of cognitive interventions highlighting that this common form of intervention represents a promising approach to gambling disorder management while Tremblay et al. documented the experiences of gamblers and their partners either individually or in couple therapy. Their conclusion was that both forms of treatment were effective but more positive experiences emerged for couple therapy. In yet another interesting paper, Gavriel-Fried and Rabayov examined the importance of selfstigma for individuals seeking treatment for gambling, alcohol or other substance use problems. They summarized that stigma among individuals with gambling problems tend to work in a similar way as among those individuals with an alcohol or drug problem. Jiménez-Murcia et al. analyzed the frequency of the co-occurrence of gambling disorders and food addiction. Their findings suggest that almost 10% of individuals having a gambling disorder concurrently experienced a food addiction. In addition, a far higher ratio of food addiction was found in women. Lastly, Giroux et al. provided a systematic review of online and mobile interventions for problem gambling, alcohol and drug use. While this may prove promising in the future, more rigorous research is necessary before definite conclusions can be reached. In sum, more research is clearly needed in understanding gambling disorders or problem gambling patterns before best practice treatment approaches can be identified. Clinicians and treatment providers are well aware that problem gamblers do not represent a homogenous group (Blaszczynski and Nower, 2002) and that differential approaches may be required. Overall, 94 different authors from 15 countries contributed to this special issue. We remain confident that these 18 papers significantly add to the understanding of problem gambling and will further stimulate high-quality gambling research in its many facets.

In October 2008, Iceland experienced the fastest and deepest financial crisis recorded in modern times when all three major banks went bankrupt in less than 2 weeks. The purpose of this follow-up study is to examine potential changes in participation in 12 different gambling types and in problem gambling before (time 1; year 2007) and after (time 2; year 2011) the economic collapse in 2008. The time between the first and second wave of data collection was 3.5 years. In total, 1,531 participants took part in the study, 688 males and 843 females. There was a considerable increase in past year gambling behavior from 2007 to 2011, mostly due to increased participation in lotto (National lotto and Viking lotto) but also in bingo, monthly lotteries (class lotteries with at least monthly draw) and scratch tickets. Only EGMs (electronic gaming machines) participation declined significantly between the two timepoints. Examining past year problematic gambling figures revealed that there were no changes in the prevalence figures between the year 2007 (1.2%) and 2011 (1.1%). Further examination revealed that those who reported financial difficulties due to the recession were more likely to buy lotto- or scratch tickets during the recession than those who were not financially affected by the crisis. These findings remained after controlling for background variables and baseline gambling activity (gambling in 2007). Overall, the findings of the follow-up study suggest that when people are experiencing financial difficulties during economic recessions, the possibility to improve their financial situation by winning large jackpots with low initial stakes becomes more enticing., This research project received funding from the Icelandic Ministry of the Interior. The authors have full responsibility for all parts of the data collection, examination of the data, and full control over the decision on publication.

Background The development of transdiagnostic standardized measures of psychological distress have contributed to the development of practice-based evidence networks. The translation and validation of such measures cross culturally is important if such research is to be generalized across health care systems in different countries. Method Translation of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) from English into Icelandic was undertaken according to recommended protocols. The resulting instrument was evaluated for reliability and validity in three groups: patients undergoing psychological treatment in general practice (n = 289), psychiatric outpatients (n = 98) and student controls (n = 207). The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview was administered to the clinical participants. They also completed the CORE-OM and the Beck depression and anxiety inventories before and after treatment. The transdiagnostic relationship between CORE-OM scores and scores on those diagnostic measures was assessed. Results Good levels of validity, reliability and internal consistency were found for the CORE-OM and its domains and sensitivity to change over treatment shown. As anticipated, the risk domain had different characteristics than other domains. CORE-OM scores correlated strongly with both Beck Depression Inventory–Second edition and Beck Anxiety Inventory, particularly the problem domain. Conclusion The Icelandic translation of the CORE-OM is psychometrically sound and can be applied in Icelandic mental health studies as it has been in English speaking settings. Nevertheless, the validity of the Icelandic version of the CORE-OM needs to be further investigated in larger and more diverse samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message The psychometric properties of the Icelandic version of the CORE-OM are comparable with the original English version. The results indicate transdiagnostic utility of the CORE-OM. The CORE-OM is a valuable instrument in outcome research on psychological treatment, specifically transdiagnostic treatment.

We tested whether suppressing disgust related thoughts, compared with no suppression, differentially affected target thought frequency and emotional responses, and whether this was related to participants' cognitive inhibition abilities. We also tested whether different control instructions during a thought control task would affect performance on a subsequent behavioural avoidance task involving disgust related stimuli. Sixty university students, pre-selected on their level of disgust propensity/sensitivity, were instructed to either suppress or not to suppress all target-related thoughts following viewing of a disgust-related film fragment. Thought suppression immediately reduced target thought frequency, but only for participants with good inhibitory control. Thought suppression led to sustained thought frequency and levels of disgust after suppression was lifted, whereas a significant drop was observed for these measures in the no-suppression group. Thought control instructions did not affect performance on the behavioural avoidance task at the group level. However, regression analyses showed that changes in thought frequency during thought suppression interacted with beliefs concerning importance of thoughts and thought control when predicting fear and disgust reactions during the behavioural task.

The distressed (Type D) personality (the combination of negative affectivity and social inhibition traits) has been associated with adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the validity of the Type D construct against the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality, and its association with emotional control and distress. In total 498 university students (mean age 28.9 ± 8.4 years) completed the Type D scale (DS14), and measurements for the FFM of personality, emotional control, anxiety, depression and stress. The construct validity of the Icelandic DS14 was confirmed. The Type D components negative affectivity and social inhibition were strongly associated with neuroticism and extraversion of the FFM (r = 0.82 and r = −0.67, respectively). Negative affectivity also correlated with rehearsal/rumination (r = 0.58) and social inhibition with emotional inhibition (r = 0.54), indicative of emotional control. Type D personality (40% of sample) was associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress. The Type D personality components were associated with the FFM of personality, emotional control and emotional distress. Importantly, social and emotional inhibition were closely related, providing novel information about the presence of emotional inhibition within the social inhibition trait.Highlights► This study examined the validity of Type D personality in young, healthy adults. ► The Type D subcomponents correspond well with the Five-Factor Model of personality. ► The presence of emotional inhibition in the social inhibition trait was confirmed. ► Type D personality was related to elevated anxiety, depression and stress scores.Keywords: Type D personality, Five-Factor Model of personality, Emotional control, Emotional distress, Validity

This study compared children with early and late diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). All children in four consecutive birth cohorts in Iceland diagnosed with ASD were divided into two groups based on their age at initial ASD diagnosis: 58 children were diagnosed before age 6 (group 1) and 41 children after age 6 (group 2). Children in group 1 were more likely to receive a diagnosis of childhood autism ( p ≤ 0.001), their average IQ/DQ was lower ( p p p p p = 0.224), frequency of associated medical conditions ( p = 0.640), age of first parental concern ( p = 0.244), and age of first autistic symptoms on hindsight ( p = 0.540). The majority of parents (76.2%) had developmental concerns before age 3, and with hindsight 83.3% thought that autistic symptoms had been present before age 2.

This study reports findings on Internet gambling and problem gambling among Icelandic youth. Participants were 1.537 13-18 year-old students, 786 boys and 747 girls. Results revealed that 56.6% had gambled at least once in the past 12 months and 24.3% on the Internet. Gender and developmental differences were found for Internet gambling, as boys and older age-groups were more likely to gamble on the Internet than girls or younger age groups. Problem gambling for the total sample was 2.2%, but Internet gamblers were more likely to be classified as problem gamblers (7.7%) than non-Internet gamblers (1.1%). A comparison of the findings of this study to earlier studies on adolescents conducted in 2003 and 2004 reveals that Icelandic adolescents are gambling less in land-based types of gambling and more on the Internet. In general, the results of this study thus suggest that the gambling habits of Icelandic youth are changing.

The application of nanoparticle-stabilized microbubbles (NP-MBs) for localized drug delivery is a new and promising method for enhancing the effectiveness of administered drugs. The NP-MBs move through the vascular system before being destroyed by a targeted acoustic pressure field. The NP-MBs shell properties determine the in-vivo response. Accurately determining the shell properties will allow us to better understand the complex phenomenons which make this method an valuable medical tool. This thesis aims to utilize finite element modeling in order to better estimate the NP-MBs shell properties. Previous thesis work at the Department of Physics has conducted a series of experiments where individual NP-MBs were compressed by an atomic force microscope. The bubbles force-displacement curve is the basis for estimating the shell properties. This system is considered equivalent to a parallel plate compression of a hollow sphere. A finite element model representing a NP-MB model was simulated in Abaqus. Running different parameters and material models the, Yeoh material model was identified as a better alternative to the traditional linear elastic material. The linear elastic model resulted in a poor fit to the experimental data, with the bubbles different Young's modulus ranging from 25MPa to 112.5 MPa. By using Yeoh form the non-linear response of the NP-MBs were better replicated. The Yeoh form, typically used for rubber materials, allow a non-linear stress-strain relation. The different bubbles were simulated with the Yeoh material and the estimates for the most relevant coefficient, C_{20}, ranges between 0.96e6 and 112.5e6 An alternative method for estimating the shell thickness is suggested. The simulations buckling point is dependent on the dimensions and parameters of the input. By matching the buckling point of the experiments force-displacement with to the buckling point of a simulated model we are able to suggest and estimate for the shell thickness. The method indicates a negative relation between the shell thickness MB diameter. The shell thickness of the different BSA microbubbles was between 0.05 and 0.065 micrometer. The different casein bubbles have an even thinner shell with estimated thicknesses ranging from 0.05 micrometer to below the lower limit (0.25 micrometer) of the suggested method.

Neuroticism (N) assesses emotional sensitivity or lability, but the construct is poorly defined and instruments used to assess N are marred by a number of psychometric shortcomings. Neuroticism is also described in an overtly pejorative way, with items keyed for themes reflecting low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. The present paper presents a revised model based on a new questionnaire entitled the Emotional Sensitivity Scale (ESS). Using an innovative scenario technique to generate items, exploratory factor analysis of the responses of 242 participants yielded orthogonal dimensions for positive (other-oriented) and negative (self-centered) emotional sensitivity, and the structure was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. Validation studies showed that the ESS dimensions were related in systematic ways to related psychometric instruments and that, as predicted, participants scoring high on the positive dimension were better able to recognize displayed emotions. The new scale offers a basis for extending the research on emotional sensitivity using empirically discriminable positive and negative components.

In October 2008 all three major banks in Iceland went bankrupt with serious consequences for Icelandic society. The national currency lost more than half of its value and there was a sharp increase in household debts and prices for domestic goods. Very little is known about the potential effects of economic recessions on gambling participation and problem gambling. This study reports on the results of three national prevalence studies conducted before and after the economic collapse in Iceland. The same methodology and measures were used in all three studies to ensure their comparability and the studies included in total N = 8.249 participants. There was an increase in past year gambling participation which extended across most gambling types. Only participation on EGMs declined significantly after the economic collapse. Past year prevalence of problematic gambling increased but further examination revealed that this increase is most probably explained by an increase in card and internet gambling among young men. Moreover, those who experienced financial difficulties due to the economic recession were 52 % more likely to have bought a lottery ticket during the recession compared to those who were not affected financially. Overall, the results indicate that serious national economic recessions have differential effects on gambling behavior.

This study describes the construction and validation of a German version of the Positive and Negative Expectancies Scale, PANEQ-G, which is based on the original English version of the PANEQ. The German version showed the same factor structure as the original, comprising the three subscales of Negative Affectivity/Pessimism, Positive Affectivity/Optimism, and Fighting Spirit. The reliability data for the new scale were acceptable, and the factor structure was confirmed by means of a confirmatory factor analysis in an independent sample. As expected, concurrent validation uncovered substantial correlations of the three established scales. Negative Affectivity/Pessimism was related to Neuroticism and Positive Affectivity/Optimism was related to Extraversion. Fighting Spirit, the third scale, was related to Self-Efficacy and Conscientiousness. The PANEQ-G provides a reliable and valid instrument that can be used in conjunction with the original PANEQ for cross-cultural studies on Optimism and Pessimism. It also offers a new third component, Fighting Spirit, which can enrich research in this area.

The present study describes the construction and validation of a new scale for measuring optimism, pessimism and “fighting spirit”, entitled the Positive And Negative Expectancy Questionnaire (PANEQ). Principal axis factor analysis of an initial pool of items generated by a scenario study yielded three factors, labelled negative affect/pessimism, fighting spirit and positive affect/optimism, all of which showed high internal (coefficient alpha) and re-test reliability. The original factor analysis was subsequently replicated in a separate sample using confirmatory factor analysis, and a structural equation model for the relationship between PANEQ and three measures of health and well-being provided evidence for discriminate validity of the three scales.

The aim of the present study was to explore cross-cultural differences in emotion control, using the Emotion Control Questionnaire [ECQ — Roger, D., & Najarian, B. (1989). The construction and validation of a new scale for measuring emotional control. Personality and Individual Differences, 10 , 845–853]. The ECQ has been extensively validated on English samples, but rather than using the original published factor structure to derive mean scores, the study was based on comparisons between new factor analyses of ECQ data obtained from comparable samples of English, Spanish and Korean subjects. Consistent differences emerged, suggesting that the Korean subjects in particular differed in the way they construed emotional behaviour. Subsequent confirmatory factor analyses suggested that a two-factor model comprising emotional inhibition and emotional rumination offered the best fit for the data across all three samples, and new scales based on these findings are proposed.