Research of Post-Treatment Effect on Structure of Alloys Manufactured Using Additive Technologies

The effect of cold isostatic pressing of EP648 alloy after selective laser sintering is researched. The effect of cold isostatic pressing on the porosity of the structure of a material manufactured by additive technologies (AT) has been established. It is proposed to consider cold isostatic pressing as a method of subsequent treatment of products ("post-treatment") made by selective laser sintering.

Effectiveness of transdiagnostic seminars to support patients with common mental disorders: a multi-service practice research network study

Background: This was a multi-site evaluation of psycho-educational transdiagnostic seminars (TDS) as a pre-treatment intervention to enhance the effectiveness and utilisation of high-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of TDS combined with high-intensity CBT (TDS+CBT) versus a matched sample receiving CBT only. Second, to determine the consistency of results across participating services which employed CBT+TDS. Finally, to determine the acceptability of TDS across patients with different psychological disorders. Method: 106 patients across three services voluntarily attended TDS while on a waiting list for CBT (TDS+CBT). Individual and pooled service pre–post treatment effect sizes were calculated using measures of depression, anxiety and functional impairment. Effectiveness and completion rates for TDS+CBT were compared with a propensity score matched sample from an archival dataset of cases who received high-intensity CBT only. Results: Pre–post treatment effect sizes for TDS+CBT were comparable to the matched sample. Recovery rates were greater for the group receiving TDS; however, this was not statistically significant. Greater improvements were observed during the waiting-list period for patients who had received TDS for depression (d = 0.49 compared with d = 0.07) and anxiety (d = 0.36 compared with d = 0.04). Conclusions: Overall, this new evidence found a trend for TDS improving symptoms while awaiting CBT across three separate IAPT services. The effectiveness of TDS now warrants further exploration through an appropriately sized randomised control trial.

Generalized Structural Mean Models for Evaluating Depression as a Post-treatment Effect Modifier of a Jobs Training Intervention

In randomized controlled trials, the evaluation of an overall treatment effect is often followed by effect modification or subgroup analyses, where the possibility of a different magnitude or direction of effect for varying values of a covariate is explored. While studies of effect modification are typically restricted to pretreatment covariates, longitudinal experimental designs permit the examination of treatment effect modification by intermediate outcomes, where intermediates are measured after treatment but before the final outcome. We present a novel application of generalized structural mean models (GSMMs) for simultaneously assessing effect modification by post-treatment covariates and accounting for noncompliance to assigned treatment status. The proposed approach may also be used to identify post-treatment effect modifiers in the absence of noncompliance. The methods are evaluated using a simulation study that demonstrates that our approach retains consistent estimation of effect modification by intermediate variables that are affected by treatment and also predict outcomes. We illustrate the method using a randomized trial designed to promote re-employment through teaching skills to enhance self-esteem and inoculate job seekers against setbacks in the job search process. Our analysis provides some evidence that the intervention was much less successful among subjects that displayed higher levels of depression at intermediate post-treatment waves of the study. We also compare the assumptions of our approach and principal stratification as alternatives to account for differences in effects by intermediate variables.

IMPACT OF HUMOR ON FORWARD INTENTION OF CUSTOMERS MEDIATED BY ATTITUDE TOWARDS MESSAGE; A CASE OF VIRAL MARKETING

Technology has enabled marketers to use internet for enhancing their marketing efforts in reaching their customers effectively and efficiently. This paper examines the effect of humor in a viral marketing campaign on the forward intentions of individuals, mediated by attitude towards message. An experiment was conducted in the classrooms of Public Sector University, on undergraduate and graduate business students,and a questionnaire was personally administered at the end of the experiment to measure post treatment effect on their attitude towards message and forward intentions. The data was analyzed using different statistical tools. The results indicated that there is full mediation effect of attitude towards message on the relationship between humor and forward intentions.