Pain symptoms and sleep problems among school-aged children. Long-term prevalence changes, and pain symptoms as predictors of later mental health

Children’s pain symptoms and sleep problems are among the most common health complaints. They distract children from activities, decrease the quality of life, contribute to a significant economic burden, and have shown continuity into adulthood. The main aims of this thesis were to investigate long-term changes in the prevalence of pain symptoms and sleep problems among Finnish school-aged children, and the later mental health of those who in childhood experience pain. Prevalence, co-occurrence, and associated psychosocial factors of pain symptoms and sleep problems were also assessed. In study I, prevalence changes in eight-year-old children’s pain symptoms and sleep problems were investigated in three cross-sectional population-based samples (years 1989: n=1038, 1999: n=1035, and 2005: n=1030). In study II, cross-sectional associations between pain symptoms, sleep problems, and psychosocial factors were assessed among 13-18-year-old adolescents (n=2476). In studies III and IV, associations between pain symptoms at age eight (n=6017), and register-based data on antidepressant use and severe suicidality by age 24, were examined in a nationwide birth cohort. Pain symptoms and sleep problems were common and often co-occurred. A considerable number of children’s pain symptoms remained unrecognized by the parents. The prevalence of pain symptoms, sleep problems, and multiple concurrent symptoms approximately doubled from 1989 to 2005. Psychiatric difficulties or demographic factors did not explain the increase. Psychosocial factors that were associated with pain, sleep problems, and a higher number of symptoms, were female sex, psychological difficulties, emotional symptoms, smoking, victimization, and feeling not cared about by teachers. In longitudinal analyses, the child’s own report of headache, and to a smaller degree the parental report of the child’s abdominal pain predicted later antidepressant use. Parental report of the child’s abdominal pain predicted severe suicidality among males. If one of the symptoms is present, health care professionals should inquire about other symptoms as well. Questions should be directed to the children, not only to their parents. Inquiring about psychiatric difficulties, substance use, victimization, and relations with teachers should be included as a part of the assessment. Further studies are needed to clarify the reasons that underlie the increased prevalence rates, and the factors that may increase or decrease the risk for later mental health problems among pain-suffering children.

Multidata inverse problems and Bayesian solution methods in astronomy

Statistical analyses of measurements that can be described by statistical models are of essence in astronomy and in scientific inquiry in general. The sensitivity of such analyses, modelling approaches, and the consequent predictions, is sometimes highly dependent on the exact techniques applied, and improvements therein can result in significantly better understanding of the observed system of interest. Particularly, optimising the sensitivity of statistical techniques in detecting the faint signatures of low-mass planets orbiting the nearby stars is, together with improvements in instrumentation, essential in estimating the properties of the population of such planets, and in the race to detect Earth-analogs, i.e. planets that could support liquid water and, perhaps, life on their surfaces. We review the developments in Bayesian statistical techniques applicable to detections planets orbiting nearby stars and astronomical data analysis problems in general. We also discuss these techniques and demonstrate their usefulness by using various examples and detailed descriptions of the respective mathematics involved. We demonstrate the practical aspects of Bayesian statistical techniques by describing several algorithms and numerical techniques, as well as theoretical constructions, in the estimation of model parameters and in hypothesis testing. We also apply these algorithms to Doppler measurements of nearby stars to show how they can be used in practice to obtain as much information from the noisy data as possible. Bayesian statistical techniques are powerful tools in analysing and interpreting noisy data and should be preferred in practice whenever computational limitations are not too restrictive.

Solutions to water problems in the bottom of the pyramid market

Solving the water crisis in the developing world is a critical issue. Four billion people in the globe, so called the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) population suffer from inadequate access to safe drinking water, while millions die daily from waterborne diseases and lack of clean water. The BoP people desperately need to obtain a satisfactory access to safe water sources. In order to address the issue, this research has been carried out. To provide holistic consideration to the matter, comprehensive exploration of various causes of the water crisis and its impacts in developing countries were discussed. Then, various viable and relevant solutions to the problem have been thoroughly scrutinized, including scientific, rational, practical and speculative approaches, examination of existing methods, technologies and products at the BoP water market. The role of clean water to the sustainable development was specifically featured. The paper also has studied social and economic factors, actors and circumstances which affect the market development of clean water technologies in the BoP. Possibilities and potentials of successful business between foreign water enterprises and BoP consumers were considered, while primary obstacles are deliberated on, with suggestion of the ways to tackle them. Technologies and products which are needed by the poor must be affordable, sustainable and of an appropriate quality. The crucial question of technology transfer was soundly discussed with pointing out main hindrances on the way of its implementation between the developed and developing world. The means to overcome these barriers were properly observed as well. To explore to some extent the possibility and feasibility of technology transfer from Finland to the BoP sector, 3 case study analyses have been implemented. Personal discussions in form of interviews were conducted at Kemira, Outotec and Fenno Water, Finnish water treatment and supply enterprises. The results of the interviews shed light on the specific practical matters, actual obstacles and potential solutions of the technology transfer from Finland to low-income countries.