The relationship between parent and child dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and child sleep

Cognitive theories emphasise the role of dysfunctional beliefs about sleep in the development and maintenance of sleep-related problems (SRPs). The present research examines how parents' dysfunctional beliefs about children's sleep and child dysfunctional beliefs about sleep are related to each other and to children's subjective and objective sleep. Participants were 45 children aged 11 -12 years and their parents. Self-report measures of dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and child sleep were completed by children, mothers and fathers. Objective measures of child sleep were taken using actigraphy. The results showed that child dysfunctional beliefs about sleep were correlated with father (r=.43, p<.05) and mother (r=.43, p<.05) reported child SRPs, and with Sleep Onset Latency (r=.34, p<.05). Maternal dysfunctional beliefs about child sleep were related to child SRPs as reported by mothers (r=.44, p<.05), and to child dysfunctional beliefs about sleep (r=.37, p<.05). Some initial evidence was found for a mediation pathway in which child dyfunctional beliefs mediate the relationship between parent dysfunctional beliefs and child sleep. The results support the cognitive model of SRPs and contribute to the literature by providing the first evidence of familial aggregation of dysfunctional beliefs about sleep.

Essays on robust portfolio selection and pension finance

This thesis examines three different, but related problems in the broad area of portfolio management for long-term institutional investors, and focuses mainly on the case of pension funds. The first idea (Chapter 3) is the application of a novel numerical technique – robust optimization – to a real-world pension scheme (the Universities Superannuation Scheme, USS) for first time. The corresponding empirical results are supported by many robustness checks and several benchmarks such as the Bayes-Stein and Black-Litterman models that are also applied for first time in a pension ALM framework, the Sharpe and Tint model and the actual USS asset allocations. The second idea presented in Chapter 4 is the investigation of whether the selection of the portfolio construction strategy matters in the SRI industry, an issue of great importance for long term investors. This study applies a variety of optimal and naïve portfolio diversification techniques to the same SRI-screened universe, and gives some answers to the question of which portfolio strategies tend to create superior SRI portfolios. Finally, the third idea (Chapter 5) compares the performance of a real-world pension scheme (USS) before and after the recent major changes in the pension rules under different dynamic asset allocation strategies and the fixed-mix portfolio approach and quantifies the redistributive effects between various stakeholders. Although this study deals with a specific pension scheme, the methodology can be applied by other major pension schemes in countries such as the UK and USA that have changed their rules.

Expression of alpha-synuclein is increased in the hippocampus of rats with high levels of innate anxiety

A genomic region neighboring the alpha-synuclein gene, on rat chromosome 4, has been associated with anxiety- and alcohol-related behaviors in different rat strains. In this study, we have investigated potential molecular and physiological links between alpha-synuclein and the behavioral differences observed between Lewis (LEW) and Spontaneously Hypertensive (SHR) inbred rats, a genetic model of anxiety. As expected, LEW rats appeared more fearful than SHR rats in three anxiety models: open field, elevated plus maze and light/dark box. Moreover, LEW rats displayed a higher preference for alcohol and consumed higher quantities of alcohol than SHR rats. alpha-Synuclein mRNA and protein concentrations were higher in the hippocampus, but not the hypothalamus of LEW rats. This result inversely correlated with differences in dopamine turnover in the hippocampus of LEW and SHR rats, supporting the hypothesis that alpha-synuclein is important in the downregulation of dopamine neurotransmission. A novel single nucleotide polymorphism was identified in the 30-untranslated region (3`-UTR) of the alpha-synuclein cDNA between these two rat strains. Plasmid constructs based on the LEW 3`-UTR sequence displayed increased expression of a reporter gene in transiently transfected PC12 cells, in accordance with in-vivo findings, suggesting that this nucleotide exchange might participate in the differential expression of alpha-synuclein between LEW and SHR rats. These results are consistent with a novel role for alpha-synuclein in modulating rat anxiety- like behaviors, possibly through dopaminergic mechanisms. Since the behavioral and genetic differences between these two strains are the product of independent evolutionary histories, the possibility that polymorphisms in the alpha-synuclein gene may be associated with vulnerability to anxiety- related disorders in humans requires further investigation. Molecular Psychiatry (2009) 14, 894-905; doi: 10.1038/mp.2008.43; published online 22 April 2008

Chaotic transport in reversed shear tokamaks

For tokamak models using simplified geometries and reversed shear plasma profiles, we have numerically investigated how the onset of Lagrangian chaos at the plasma edge may affect the plasma confinement in two distinct but closely related problems. Firstly, we have considered the motion of particles in drift waves in the presence of an equilibrium radial electric field with shear. We have shown that the radial particle transport caused by this motion is selective in phase space, being determined by the resonant drift waves and depending on the parameters of both the resonant waves and the electric field profile. Moreover, we have shown that an additional transport barrier may be created at the plasma edge by increasing the electric field. In the second place, we have studied escape patterns and magnetic footprints of chaotic magnetic field lines in the region near a tokamak wall, when there are resonant modes due to the action of an ergodic magnetic limiter. A non-monotonic safety factor profile has been used in the analysis of field line topology in a region of negative magnetic shear. We have observed that, if internal modes are perturbed, the distributions of field line connection lengths and magnetic footprints exhibit spatially localized escape channels. For typical physical parameters of a fusion plasma, the two Lagrangian chaotic processes considered in this work can be effective in usual conditions so as to influence plasma confinement. The reversed shear effects discussed in this work may also contribute to evaluate the transport barrier relevance in advanced confinement scenarios in future tokamak experiments.

Weak hypergraph regularity and linear hypergraphs

We consider conditions which allow the embedding of linear hypergraphs of fixed size. In particular, we prove that any k-uniform hypergraph H of positive uniform density contains all linear k-uniform hypergraphs of a given size. More precisely, we show that for all integers l >= k >= 2 and every d > 0 there exists Q > 0 for which the following holds: if His a sufficiently large k-uniform hypergraph with the property that the density of H induced on every vertex subset of size on is at least d, then H contains every linear k-uniform hypergraph F with l vertices. The main ingredient in the proof of this result is a counting lemma for linear hypergraphs, which establishes that the straightforward extension of graph epsilon-regularity to hypergraphs suffices for counting linear hypergraphs. We also consider some related problems. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Äldre och psykofarmaka : Några sjuksköterskors uppfattning

Nearly nine percent of the population in Sweden are 75 years or older. Still they consume more than a quarter of all medicines. This increased use, is specially noticeable in nursing home residents, where the elderly is using a average of 8-10 preparations per day. According to the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden, the number of drugs and specially psychotropic drugs, has proved to be a risk factor for drug-related problems among the elderly, such as drug interaction and side effects. Routines for regular and systematic follow-up of drug prescription and utilisation reviews were not extensively implemented. According to the National Board of Health and Welfare its important to start the work to reduce psychotropic drugs among the elderly in nursing homes. Aim: This studie examine nurses apprehension about psychotopic drugs among the elderly in nursing homes. Method: An questionnarie based survey whit 10 closed questions. The questionary was answered of 46 nurses who works in nursing homes. Result: A majority of the nurses, tought the elderly in nursing homes were using to musch psychotropic drugs. The nurses tought that psychotropic drugs often prescribes as a matter of routin, particullary hypnotics and sedeativs. Those drugs was not effectiv in long terms according to the nurses. They also tought that alternative mehtods should be considered before describing pscyhotropic drugs. The nurses tought as a occupational group, that they had a responsibility to follow up and evaluate the elderlys medication whit psychotropic drugs.

Upplevda problem med projektstyrningsmetoden Scrum i systemutvecklingsprojekt : En studie av Scrums-relaterade problem hos IT- företag i Borlängeregion

Många projekt misslyckas och en av anledningarna är dålig styrning av projektet i allmänhet och inom IT branschen i synnerhet. Baserad på kritik av de traditionella metoderna under de senaste åren, så har det uppkommit flera lättrörliga metoder som kallas Agila metoder. Scrum är den mest kända Agila metoden som används idag. Metoden lovar goda resultat, men i en artikel ur tidningen Computer Sweden (feb 2009) står det ”siffror visar att nio av tio Scrumprojekt misslyckas”. Artikeln triggade vårt intresse av att ta reda på vilka problem specifika för Scrum som många har kritiserat och valde därför att rikta in vår studie mot detta. Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka om lokala IT-företag i Borlänge, Headlight, Sogeti ochstatliga nätkapacitetleverantören Trafikverket ICT lider av det allmänna problem som de andra Scrumanvändarna upplever i samband med användningen av metoden. Denna uppsats har fokus på fyra problemområden: bristfällig dokumentation, sämre effektivitet i arbetsprocessen, sämre effektivitet i arbetsprocessen i stora projekt samt bristande stöd för utvärdering. För vår studie har litteraturstudier och intervjuer genomförts. Intervjuserier gjordes på elva personer hos våra fallföretag. Målgruppen för våra intervjuer är Product Owner (PO) ScrumMaster (SM) och utvecklare. Vi kan efter genomförd studie dra slutsatsen att de allmänna upplevda problem som de andra Scrumanvändaren upplever har vi även kunnat identifiera hos våra fallföretag. Resultaten har bekräftats med insamlade data och vår teoretiska ram. I diskussionen presenterar vi rekommendationer för att undvik relaterade problem med Scrum.

Tid som välfärdsfaktor : förändrade motiv i svensk arbetstidspolicy

Time as a welfare factor This article presents the results of an archive study of working time development in Sweden. It investigates how structural policy change is moving from a social discourse closely related to Swedish welfare reforms, towards an economic discourse motivated by financial arguments. By doing so, the political measures to solve working time related problems in today’s flexible working life appear to be contradictory. On one side we find time-poor people on the labour market mainly supported by tax-reductions and private time saving solutions. On the other side we find time-rich people mainly supported by activation programs and/or welfare benefits. This is a system and a policy strategy that obviously disregards the other side of the coin.

Relating pseudospin and spin symmetries through charge conjugation and chiral transformations: the case of the relativistic harmonic oscillator

We solve the generalized relativistic harmonic oscillator in 1+1 dimensions, i.e., including a linear pseudoscalar potential and quadratic scalar and vector potentials which have equal or opposite signs. We consider positive and negative quadratic potentials and discuss in detail their bound-state solutions for fermions and antifermions. The main features of these bound states are the same as the ones of the generalized three-dimensional relativistic harmonic oscillator bound states. The solutions found for zero pseudoscalar potential are related to the spin and pseudospin symmetry of the Dirac equation in 3+1 dimensions. We show how the charge conjugation and gamma(5) chiral transformations relate the several spectra obtained and find that for massless particles the spin and pseudospin symmetry-related problems have the same spectrum but different spinor solutions. Finally, we establish a relation of the solutions found with single-particle states of nuclei described by relativistic mean-field theories with scalar, vector, and isoscalar tensor interactions and discuss the conditions in which one may have both nucleon and antinucleon bound states.

Aspectos da fluência na narrativa oral de indivíduos com Transtorno do Espectro Alcoólico Fetal

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A total laparoscopic technique for endovascular thoracic stent graft deployment

Background: Limitations of endovascular thoracic aneurym treatment include small, tortuous, or severely calcified iliac Back, arteries. We present our experience with a total laparoscopic access to deploy thoracic endografts.Methods. A total laparoscopic left retrocolic approach was used in all cases. A Dacron conduit was laparoscopically sutured to either the iliac artery or to the aorta directly. The endograft was inserted through this conduit. After graft deployment, the Dacron prosthesis was tunneled to the groin and anastomosed with the femoral artery.Results. The laparoscopic procedure could successfully be performed in 11 patients. In six cases, the aorta was used as all access and in five patients, the iliac arteries were preferred. In one of these cases, the right iliac artery, was used for deployment of the endograft. After successful aorto- or ileo-femoral bypass grafting, all patients had an improvement of their ankle brachial index postoperatively. The mean operative time was almost four hours, including laparoscopy, laparoscopic anastomosis, endograft deployment, and femoral artery anastomosis or profundaplasty.Conclusion: Totally laparoscopic assisted graft implantation in aorta or iliac arteries provides a safe and effective access for the endovascular delivery system. However, further evaluation and long follow-up are necessary to ensure the potential advantages of this technique. It is a less invasive option to overcome access-related problems with thoracic endograft deployment, giving the patient the advantage of a totally minimal invasive procedure. (J Vasc Surg 2010;51:504-8.)

Meio ambiente e enfermagem: suas interfaces e inserção no ensino de graduação

A degradação ambiental vem modificando nosso cenário de forma acelerada e interferindo negativamente no processo saúde-doença de toda a comunidade. No entanto, o meio ambiente vem sendo concebido como um simples cenário, algo externo ao ser humano, não onde estamos inseridos e no qual acontecem suas interações e inter-relações. A complexidade dos problemas ambientais clama pela adoção de medidas que superem práticas assistencialistas, levando à adoção de práticas transdisciplinares que avancem na promoção da saúde. Neste artigo procura-se discutir, nesta perspectiva, a necessidade de inserção nos cursos de graduação em saúde a temática saúde e meio ambiente, adotando como exemplo um curso de enfermagem do interior paulista que inseriu uma disciplina relacionada ao tema. Analisa também o papel do enfermeiro na relação com o meio ambiente segundo a representação social dos alunos, trabalhada a partir do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo. Nota-se que é fundamental discutir essa temática ambiental entre os profissionais da saúde, a fim de que eles se empoderem desse conhecimento e consigam identificar problemas relacionados à questão ambiental, propondo ações resolutivas e preventivas, juntamente com a comunidade, procurando amenizar os riscos ambientais a que todos estão expostos. Reforça-se a profundidade do papel dos profissionais de saúde diante dos problemas ambientais, buscando a saúde em uma perspectiva ampliada de promoção da saúde.

Psychiatric disorders and psychiatric consultation in a general hospital: A case- control study

Introduction: Psychiatric consultation (PC) has been considered an efficient tool to develop research, to track and to give assistance benefiting patients, health professionals and the institution. However, it has not been much used in Brazil. Although 30 to 50% of general hospital (GH) inpatients may present a psychiatric disorder, only 1 to 12% of them are referred to assessment. The aims of this study were: to assess mental disorders in a GH; to identify which of these patients are sent to psychiatric care; to verify alleged reasons for referral to psychiatric consultation, and to examine the relationship between PC and psychiatric learning (during medical school and residence). Methods: A case-control patient study was conducted (47 cases and 94 controls) to analyze in detail the following variables: socio-demographic; clinical; degree of information (about the disease and diagnostic/therapeutic procedures), and relationship between patient and health team. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the ICD- 10 criteria. The Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ), the CAGE and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were used as well as a specifically designed questionnaire to collect clinical and demographic data. Results: Behavioral alterations, either of elation or of depression, were the main for requesting a PC; 95.8% of the cases and 27.7% of the controls had a mental disorder. Organic mental disorders and alcohol-related disorders were the most frequent diagnoses in group I (cases), while anxiety, depressive and alcohol-related disorders were predominant in group II (controls). Control group patients were better informed and more able to establish an appropriate relationship with the health team than case patients. The logistic regression showed CAGE-positive patients having 12.85 times greater risk of being referred to PC, followed by unemployed patients (2.44 times more PC referrals). Discussion: The SRQ and CAGE were quite useful in the screening of possible patients and might be important for medical students to learn and use as generalists. Further research is needed to verify if and how the newly-established service will improve the diagnostic and treatment skills of our students.

Social Panorama of Latin America 2005

Includes bibliography

The institutionality of gender in the State: new analytical perspectives

Includes bibliography